Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds calls for special session to revive abortion restrictions
By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Writer/Producer)
Media Landscape
This story is a Media Miss by the right as only 14% of the coverage is from right leaning media. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Iowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on The IndependentIowa Gov. Kim Reynolds calls special session to ‘fight against the inhumanity of abortion’
Click to see story on USA TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on abc NewsIowa GOP governor calls special session with ‘sole purpose’ of passing abortion restrictions
Click to see story on CNNIowa’s GOP governor calls a special session to push abortion restrictions
Click to see story on NBC NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Star TribuneIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Alaska Highway NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on North Shore NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Mountainview TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Burnaby NowIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Coast ReporterIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on New West RecordIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on SooToday.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Barrie TodayIowa gov. calls for special session to enact anti-abortion legislation
Click to see story on Scripps NewsIowa GOP governor calls special session with ‘sole purpose’ of passing abortion restrictions
Click to see story on KRDOIowa governor calls special legislative session with ‘sole purpose’ of restricting abortion
Click to see story on The HillIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Pioneer PressIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on News 4 JAXIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on WPLGIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on WKMGIowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Chicago TribuneIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Click on DetroitIowa Governor Calls Special Session to Restrict Abortion
Click to see story on Political WireIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on San Diego Union TribuneIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Washington Top NewsIowa Gov. Kim Reynolds calls for special session to enact abortion restrictions
Click to see story on KETVIowa lawmakers to hold special session for abortion legislation
Click to see story on KCCIIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Sask TodayGovernor Kim Reynolds calls special session to enact pro-life legislation
Click to see story on KWWLWhat to know about Gov. Kim Reynolds’ call for a special session to pass new abortion laws
Click to see story on Des Moines RegisterIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on WCBDGov. Reynolds calls for special session to enact pro-life legislation
Click to see story on KCRGGovernor calls special session of the Legislature for next week – Radio Iowa
Click to see story on Radio IowaGov. Kim Reynolds calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on who13.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on MY NorthwestIowa governor convenes special session to pass pro-life legislation
Click to see story on justthenews.comReynolds calls special session for Iowa Legislature to enact abortion restrictions
Click to see story on iowatorch.comIowa governor calls for special session on abortion after six-week ban struck down
Click to see story on Washington ExaminerRepublican Gov Calls Special Session To Push Abortion Restrictions
Click to see story on The Daily CallerIowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds calls special legislative session to pursue new abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Fox NewsRight
Untracked Bias
Iowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on AlbertaPrimeTimes.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Tri-City NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on SudburyIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Bay TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain OutlookIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on My Mother LodeIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Orillia MattersIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Newmarket TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Midland TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Collingwood TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
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Click to see story on Thorold TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on brandonsun.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on battlefordsNOW | North Battleford, Saskatchewan | News, Sports, Weather, Obituar…Iowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on meadowlakeNOWIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Airdrie City ViewIowa Governor Calls Special Session To Restrict Abortion
Click to see story on Western Iowa Today 96.5 KSOM KS 95.7Iowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on TelegraphHerald.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Powell River PeakIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Bradford TodayIowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has called lawmakers back to Des Moines for a special session. Reynolds intends to pursue legislation to restrict abortion access in the state.
Back in 2018, Reynolds signed a law that banned abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is usually around six weeks. The law was blocked because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s long-standing 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed abortion rights nationwide.
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe last year, Reynolds immediately sought to revive the 2018 law. But in June, the Iowa Supreme Court permanently blocked the law.
The court cited that no legal mechanism exists that would allow the law to be revived. The court was split 3-3, which has left the possibility open for the GOP-controlled state Legislature to try to pass a similar ban. But any new law would likely be challenged in state court.
This is a complicated story that right-leaning media outlets have largely ignored. According to the SAN Media Miss tool, this story is considered a media miss on the right due to how unbalanced the scale of coverage is.
The blocked law, or so-called fetal heartbeat law, has critics on both sides of the aisle. A pregnant woman may not know she’s pregnant until after the six week window, and medical experts say the cardiac activity is not an actual heartbeat but rather an initial flutter of electric movement within the cells in an embryo.
Democrats in the Iowa Legislature issued statements denouncing the proposed restrictions, saying it goes against what the majority of Iowa residents want.
An Associated Press poll shows many Americans, including Iowans, support at least some access to abortion in general. Reynolds disagrees.
“After years of litigation, the Iowa Supreme Court was split 3-3 last month in its opinion regarding whether a lower court’s injunction of the fetal heartbeat law should be dissolved. This lack of action disregards the will of Iowa voters and lawmakers who will not rest until the unborn are protected by law,” Reynolds said in a news release.
Reynolds’ office confirmed that lawmakers will meet on July 11.
Reynolds has been in office since 2017 and has only called a special session one other time. In 2021, lawmakers came together in two separate special sessions to approve the drawing of congressional and legislative districts.
KARAH RUCKER: IOWA REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS CALLED LAWMAKERS BACK TO DES MOINES FOR A SPECIAL SESSION NEXT WEEK TO PURSUE LEGISLATION TO RESTRICT ABORTION ACCESS IN THE HAWKEYE STATE.
THE ABORTION TOPIC HAS BEEN A BACK-AND-FORTH STRUGGLE WITH REYNOLDS. BACK IN 2018, SHE SIGNED A LAW BANNING ABORTION ONCE A FETAL HEARTBEAT IS DETECTED, USUALLY AROUND SIX WEEKS. THE LAW WAS BLOCKED BECAUSE OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT’S LONG-STANDING 1973 RULING IN ROE V. WADE, WHICH GUARANTEED ABORTION RIGHTS NATIONWIDE.
WHEN THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURNED ROE LAST YEAR, REYNOLDS IMMEDIATELY SOUGHT TO REVIVE THE 2018 LAW. BUT LAST MONTH, THE IOWA SUPREME COURT PERMANENTLY BLOCKED THE LAW, CITING THERE IS NO LEGAL MECHANISM FOR REVIVING IT. THE COURT WAS SPLIT 3-3, LEAVING OPEN THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE GOP-CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE COULD TRY TO PASS A SIMILAR BAN. BUT ANY NEW LAW IS LIKELY TO BE CHALLENGED IN STATE COURT.
THIS IS A COMPLICATED STORY THAT RIGHT-LEANING MEDIA OUTLETS HAVE LARGELY IGNORED. IT’S CONSIDERED A MEDIA MISS ON THE RIGHT DUE TO HOW UNBALANCED THE SCALE OF COVERAGE IS. YOU CAN SEE THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE ON OUR WEBSITE’S MEDIA MISS TOOL WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE BIAS DISTRIBUTION OF A STORY.
THE BLOCKED LAW, OR SO-CALLED “FETAL HEARTBEAT” LAW, HAS CRITICS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. A PREGNANT WOMAN MAY NOT KNOW SHE’S PREGNANT UNTIL AFTER THE SIX WEEK WINDOW. AND MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY THE CARDIAC ACTIVITY IS NOT AN ACTUAL HEARTBEAT BUT RATHER AN INITIAL FLUTTER OF ELECTRIC MOVEMENT WITHIN THE CELLS IN AN EMBRYO.
DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE ISSUED STATEMENTS DENOUNCING THE PROPOSED RESTRICTIONS, SAYING IT GOES AGAINST WHAT THE MAJORITY OF IOWA RESIDENTS WANT. AN ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL SHOWS MANY AMERICANS, INCLUDING IOWANS, SUPPORT AT LEAST SOME ACCESS TO ABORTION IN GENERAL. BUT REYNOLDS DISAGREES.
IN A NEWS RELEASE, SHE EXPRESSED HER DISAPPOINTMENT OVER THE ABORTION RESTRICTION BLOCK. SHE SAID QUOTE “AFTER YEARS OF LITIGATION, THE IOWA SUPREME COURT WAS SPLIT 3-3 LAST MONTH IN ITS OPINION REGARDING WHETHER A LOWER COURT’S INJUNCTION OF THE FETAL HEARTBEAT LAW SHOULD BE DISSOLVED. THIS LACK OF ACTION DISREGARDS THE WILL OF IOWA VOTERS AND LAWMAKERS WHO WILL NOT REST UNTIL THE UNBORN ARE PROTECTED BY LAW.”
HER OFFICE CONFIRMED THAT LAWMAKERS WILL MEET ON JULY 11. REYNOLDS HAS BEEN IN OFFICE SINCE 2017 AND HAS ONLY CALLED A SPECIAL SESSION ONE OTHER TIME. IN 2021, LAWMAKERS CAME TOGETHER IN TWO SEPARATE SPECIAL SESSIONS TO APPROVE THE DRAWING OF CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS.
Media Landscape
This story is a Media Miss by the right as only 14% of the coverage is from right leaning media. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Iowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on The IndependentIowa Gov. Kim Reynolds calls special session to ‘fight against the inhumanity of abortion’
Click to see story on USA TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on abc NewsIowa GOP governor calls special session with ‘sole purpose’ of passing abortion restrictions
Click to see story on CNNIowa’s GOP governor calls a special session to push abortion restrictions
Click to see story on NBC NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Star TribuneIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Alaska Highway NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on North Shore NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Mountainview TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Burnaby NowIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Coast ReporterIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on New West RecordIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on SooToday.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Barrie TodayIowa gov. calls for special session to enact anti-abortion legislation
Click to see story on Scripps NewsIowa GOP governor calls special session with ‘sole purpose’ of passing abortion restrictions
Click to see story on KRDOIowa governor calls special legislative session with ‘sole purpose’ of restricting abortion
Click to see story on The HillIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Pioneer PressIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on News 4 JAXIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on WPLGIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on WKMGIowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Chicago TribuneIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Click on DetroitIowa Governor Calls Special Session to Restrict Abortion
Click to see story on Political WireIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on San Diego Union TribuneIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Washington Top NewsIowa Gov. Kim Reynolds calls for special session to enact abortion restrictions
Click to see story on KETVIowa lawmakers to hold special session for abortion legislation
Click to see story on KCCIIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Sask TodayGovernor Kim Reynolds calls special session to enact pro-life legislation
Click to see story on KWWLWhat to know about Gov. Kim Reynolds’ call for a special session to pass new abortion laws
Click to see story on Des Moines RegisterIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on WCBDGov. Reynolds calls for special session to enact pro-life legislation
Click to see story on KCRGGovernor calls special session of the Legislature for next week – Radio Iowa
Click to see story on Radio IowaGov. Kim Reynolds calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on who13.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on MY NorthwestIowa governor convenes special session to pass pro-life legislation
Click to see story on justthenews.comReynolds calls special session for Iowa Legislature to enact abortion restrictions
Click to see story on iowatorch.comIowa governor calls for special session on abortion after six-week ban struck down
Click to see story on Washington ExaminerRepublican Gov Calls Special Session To Push Abortion Restrictions
Click to see story on The Daily CallerIowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds calls special legislative session to pursue new abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Fox NewsRight
Untracked Bias
Iowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on AlbertaPrimeTimes.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Tri-City NewsIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on SudburyIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Bay TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain OutlookIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on My Mother LodeIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Orillia MattersIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Newmarket TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Midland TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Collingwood TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Elora Fergus TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Thorold TodayIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on brandonsun.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on battlefordsNOW | North Battleford, Saskatchewan | News, Sports, Weather, Obituar…Iowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on meadowlakeNOWIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Airdrie City ViewIowa Governor Calls Special Session To Restrict Abortion
Click to see story on Western Iowa Today 96.5 KSOM KS 95.7Iowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on TelegraphHerald.comIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
Click to see story on Powell River PeakIowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions
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