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Republicans OK separate 20-week abortion ban amid deadline

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March 1st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ā€” Republican lawmakers have approved a second bill that would ban abortion in Iowa after 20 weeks of pregnancy. A GOP-led subcommittee of the House Human Resources Committee signed off on the legislation Wednesday. It’s similar to legislation approved one day earlier in a Senate subcommittee.

Separately, a so-called personhood bill was approved Monday in a Republican-led subcommittee in the Senate. It would outlaw abortion by declaring life begins at conception. Both proposals would likely face legal challenges, especially the life-at-conception bill, which would violate longtime U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

Both measures require approval in full committees this week to survive a legislative deadline for policy bills. It’s unclear if enough Republican lawmakers, who hold majorities in both chambers, support either measure for them to be approved amid likely Democratic opposition.