Lawmakers in the Iowa Senate have approved a bill that would ban most abortions at the first detectable fetal heartbeat. The Republican-controlled chamber voted 30-20 Wednesday along party lines in support of the so-called heartbeat bill. The chamber’s lone independent lawmaker also voted for the legislation. A heartbeat can be detected as early as 6 weeks of pregnancy. The legislation would only allow abortions at a later period in order to save a pregnant woman’s life. Leaders in the GOP-majority House haven’t said publicly if they will support the bill. If the measure becomes law, it likely faces litigation by opponents who argue it violates U.S. Supreme Court rulings that affirm women have a legal right to abortion.
