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H
STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
April 16, 2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 2253, an Act relating to terminology involving a pregnant female.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely,
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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House File 2253
AN ACT
RELATING TO TERMINOLOGY INVOLVING A PREGNANT FEMALE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 707.7, Code 2026, is amended to read as
follows :
707.7 Feticide.
1. Any person who intentionally terminates a human
pregnancy, with the knowledge and voluntary consent of the
pregnant pe r s on female , after the end of the second trimester
of the pregnancy wh e r e resulting in the death of the fetus
results commits feticide. Feticide is a class "C" felony.
2. Any person who attempts to intentionally terminate a
human pregnancy, with the knowledge and voluntary consent
of the pregnant peruse» female , after the end of the second
trimester of the pregnancy wh e r e that does not result in the
death of the fetus does not result commits attempted feticide.
Attempted feticide is a class "D" felony.
3. Any person who terminates a human pregnancy, with the
knowledge and voluntary consent of the pregnant person female,
who is not a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery
or osteopathic medicine and surgery under the provisions of
chapter 148, commits a class "C" felony.
4. This section shall not apply to the termination of a
human pregnancy performed by a physician licensed in this state
to practice medicine or surgery or osteopathic medicine or
House File 2253, p. 2
surgery when in the best clinical judgment of the physician the
termination is performed to preserve the life or health of the
pregnant person female or of the fetus and every reasonable
medical effort not inconsistent with preserving the life of the
pregnant person female is made to preserve the life of a viable
fetus .
Sec. 2. Section 707.8, subsections 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7, Code
2026, are amended to read as follows:
1. A person who terminates a human pregnancy without the
consent of the pregnant p e rson female during the commission of
a forcible felony is guilty of a class "B" felony.
2. A person who terminates a human pregnancy without the
consent of the pregnant p e rson female during the commission of
a felony or felonious assault is guilty of a class "C" felony.
3. a. A person who intentionally terminates a human
pregnancy without the knowledge and voluntary consent of the
pregnant p e rson female is guilty of a class "C" felony.
b. A person who attempts to intentionally terminate a human
pregnancy without the knowledge and voluntary consent of the
pregnant person female is guilty of a class "D" felony.
5. A person who by force or intimidation procures the
consent of the pregnant person female to a termination of a
human pregnancy is guilty of a class "C" felony.
7. A person who unintentionally terminates a human
pregnancy without the knowledge and voluntary consent of the
pregnant p e rson female by the commission of an act in a manner
likely to cause the termination of or serious injury to a human
pregnancy is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor.
Sec. 3. Section 707.8, subsection 12, paragraphs a and b,
Code 2026, are amended to read as follows:
a. An act or omission of the pregnant person female .
b. A termination of or a serious injury to a pregnancy
which that is caused by the performance of an approved medical
procedure performed by a person licensed in this state to
practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and
surgery, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy and with
or without the voluntary consent of the pregnant p e r s on female
when circumstances preclude the pregnant p e- r-son female from
providing consent.
House File 2253, p. 3
Sec. 4. Section 708.2, subsection 4, Code 2026, is amended
to read as follows:
4. A person who commits a violation of subsection 3 against
another person who the person knows or reasonably should know
is a pregnant pe rson female is guilty of a class "D" felony.
PAT GRASSKEY
Speaker of the House President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 2253, Ninety-first General Assembly.
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief* Clerk ofkthe House