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STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 19,2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 2788, an Act relating to abortions including definitions, informed consent,
dispensing of abortion-inducing dmgs, and other abortion-related provisions.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely,
Govemor 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 2788
AN ACT
RELATING TO ABORTIONS INCLUDING DEFINITIONS, INFORMED
CONSENT, DISPENSING OF ABORTION-INDUCING DRUGS, AND OTHER
ABORTION-RELATED PROVISIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
DIVISION I
ABORTION DEFINED
Section 1, Section 146B.1, subsection 1, Code 2026, is
amended to read as follows;
1. '^Abortion" raeans the termination of a human pregnancy
with the intent other than to produce a live birth or to remove
a dead fetus. ^Abortion" does not include any of the following;
a. Treatment of a spontaneous termination of pregnancy,
commonly known as a miscarriage.
b. Removal of the products of conception after an incomplete
or inevitable loss of a pregnancy.
c. Treatment of an ectopic pregnancy.
Sec. 2. Section 146E.1, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended
to read as follows:
1. '^^Abortion'* means the termination of a human pregnancy
with the intent other than to produce a live birth or to remove
a dead fetus same as defined in section 146B.1.
House File 2788, p. 2
DIVISION II
INFORMED CONSENT
Sec. 3. Section 146A.1, Code 2026, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. lA. Prior to performing an abortion,
a physician shall perform an in-person examination of the
pregnant woman including screening for indicia of coercion or
abuse. A physician shall, if necessary, refer the woman to an
appropriate health care provider for treatment consistent with
the examination results.
Sec. 4. Section 146A.1, subsection 6, Code 2026, is amended
by adding the following new paragraphs:
NEW PARAGRAPH. Oa, '^'^Abortion'' means the same as defined in
section 146B.1.
NEW PARAGRAPH. 00a, '^Health care provider" means a
person who is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized or
permitted by the laws of this state to administer health care
in the ordinary course of business or in the practice of a
profession.
NEW PARAGRAPH. Ob, "^Physician" means the same as defined
in section 146B.1.
Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 146A.2 Prerequisites for dispensing
abortion-inducing drugs — licensee discipline.
1. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
requires:
a, "^Abortion-inducing drug" means the same as defined in
section 146F.1.
b, "''Chemical abortion" means the same as defined in section
146F.1.
c, "^Dispense" means the same as defined in section 146F.1.
d, ""Medical emergency" means the same as defined in section
146A.1.
e, ""Pregnant" or ""pregnancy" means the human female
reproductive condition of having a living unborn child within
the pregnant woman's body throughout every stage of the unborn
child's life and development, from fertilization to full
gestation and childbirth.
2. A physician who is performing or attempting to perform
a chemical abortion shall do all of the following prior to
House File 2788, p. 3
prescribing or dispensing an abortion-inducing drug to a
pregnant woman:
a. Obtain the signature of the woman on the United States
food and drug administration patient agreement form required
for each abortion-inducing drug authorized to be manufactured
or sold in the United States.
b. Obtain written confirmation from the woman that the woman
has been informed of all of the following information:
(1) The gestational age-specific risks of abortion-inducing
drugs.
(2) The risks related to the specific abortion-inducing
drug or drugs to be used, including hemorrhage, failure to
remove all tissue of the unborn child, sepsis, sterility, and
possible continuation of the pregnancy.
(3) That the United States federal food and drug
administration recommends that the pregnant woman follow up
with the woman's health care provider approximately seven
to fourteen calendar days after the administration of an
abortion-inducing drug to confirm complete termination of
pregnancy has occurred and to evaluate the degree of bleeding.
(4) That women using abortion-inducing drugs have suffered
trauma from seeing the remains of the unborn child in the
process of a chemical abortion,
c. Advise the pregnant woman how to access emergency
surgical intervention in case of an incomplete abortion, severe
bleeding, or other medical complications.
3. Subsection 2 shall not apply to a chemical abortion
performed in response to a medical emergency.
4. This section shall not be construed to impose civil or
criminal liability on a woman upon whom a chemical abortion has
been performed.
5. A physician who fails to comply with this section is
subject to licensee discipline under chapter 148.
6. The board of medicine shall adopt rules pursuant to
chapter 17A to administer this section.
DIVISION III
DISPENSING ABORTION-INDUCING DRUGS
Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 146F.1 Definitions.
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise
House File 2788, p. 4
requires:
1. '^Abortion-inducing drug'' means any drug, chemical, or
other substance that is prescribed or administered with the
intent of performing an abortion. '^Abortion-inducing drug"
does not include a drug, chemical, or other substance that
is prescribed or administered for a purpose other than to
perform an abortion, even if the drug may be known to cause an
abortion.
2. '^Chemical abortion" means an abortion performed by the
administration or use of an abortion-inducing drug.
3. ''^Dispense" means to distribute, administer, or send an
abortion-inducing drug to the ultimate user.
4. '^Health care setting" means a pharmacy, clinic, medical
office, or hospital.
5. '^Hospital" means the same as defined in section 135B.1.
6. '^Interested party" means any of the following persons:
a, A woman upon whom a chemical abortion was performed or
attempted.
b. The personal representative of a woman upon whom a
chemical abortion was performed or attempted.
7. "^Medical emergency" means the same as defined in section
146A.1.
8. "^Personal representative" means an administrator or
an executor, or if there is no such personal representative
appointed, then a person legally authorized to perform
substantially the same functions.
Sec. 7. NEW SECTION. 146P.2 Dispensing of abortion-inducing
drugs — restrictions.
1. A person shall not dispense an abortion-inducing drug in
this state unless all of the following criteria are met:
a. The drug is dispensed in a health care setting directly
to the woman prescribed the drug.
b. The person dispensing the drug is authorized to do so
pursuant to section 147.107.
2. Subsection 1 does not apply to the dispensing of an
abortion-inducing drug in response to a medical emergency.
Sec. 8. NEW SECTION. 146F.4 Private cause of action
civil liability.
1. A person who dispenses an abortion-inducing drug
House Pile 2788r p. 5
in violation of section 146F.2 shall be civilly liable
to any interested party for all damages caused by the
abortion-inducing drug. A person who is subject to licensee
discipline under chapter 148 or 155A shall be immune from civil
liability under this section.
2. In addition to compensatory or punitive damages, a
prevailing plaintiff who brings an action under this section is
entitled to court costs and reasonable attorney fees.
3. In an action brought under this section, the name and
other identifying characteristics of a woman who sought or
obtained an abortion-inducing drug shall be redacted without
a court order from all pleadings and documents filed in the
action. The court may make further orders as necessary to
protect the identity and privacy of the woman who sought or
obtained an abortion-inducing drug.
4. This section shall not be construed to impose civil or
criminal liability on a woman upon whom a chemical abortion is
performed.
Sec. 9. NEW SECTION, 146F.5 Licensee discipline.
A licensee who fails to comply with this chapter is subject
to licensee discipline under chapter 148 or 155A.
DIVISION IV
ABORTION-RELATED PROVISIONS
Sec. 10. Section 144.29A, subsection 1, paragraph k. Code
2026, is amended to read as follows:
k. The method used for an induced termination, including
whether mifepristone or misoprostol was used.
Sec. 11. Section 144.29A, subsection 1, Code 2026, is
amended by adding the following new paragraph:
NEW PARAGRAPH. 1, If a spontaneous termination of
pregnancy, whether the patient ingested mifepristone or
misoprostol within fourteen calendar days prior to the date of
the spontaneous termination of pregnancy.
Sec. 12. Section 144.29A, subsection 7, paragraph c. Code
2026, is amended to read as follows:
c, '^Spontaneous termination of pregnancy"t commonly known
as a miscarriage, means the occurrence of an unintended
termination of pregnancy at any time during the period from
conception to twenty weeks gestation and which is not a
House Pile 2788, p. 6
spontaneous termination of pregnancy at any time during the
period from twenty weeks or greater which is reported to the
department as a fetal death under this chapter.
Sec. 13. REPEAL. Chapter 145C, Code 2026, is repealed.
PAT GRASSLEY
Speaker of t/e House
Am SINCLAIR
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 2788, Ninety-first General Assembly,
ApprovedMnja2026
MEGHAN NELSON
CMef Clerk of the House
K3M REYNOLD
Governor