ICC shares priorities for 2025 legislative session

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
Numerous issues regarding mothers, women and children are among the concerns for the Iowa Catholic Bishops for the 2025 legislative session, which begins Jan. 8. Tom Chapman, executive director for the Iowa Catholic Conference (ICC), the official public policy voice of the bishops of Iowa, shared a few of the issues he anticipates will be discussed at the Iowa state legislature in the coming months.

"There does not appear to be enough support for additional abortion prohibitions at this time," Chapman pointed out.

However,  he said there is a concern regarding abortion pills and the ease of access akin to a “black market.”

“People go on the internet to get them and providers,” he pointed out. “A couple pieces we’re working on is to perhaps make those pills a controlled substance that can still be prescribed but just see what kind of reaction that will get with legislators.”

Confusion regarding the state’s abortion laws by some members of the medical community have raised concerns in Iowa. The law states that most abortions are banned after about six weeks of pregnancy when a heartbeat can be detected. The confusion comes regarding situations such as ectopic pregnancies and incorrect messaging that the mother cannot receive treatment.
Tom Chapman“It’s in the law that you can do all those treatments to save a woman’s life … We are trying to get the board of medicine to issue some guidance for physicians to make it 100% clear that they can care for women in all instances,” he said, pointing out that lack of care could lead to serious complications, including death.

Chapman also said the ICC plans to explore the best way to disseminate that information to emergency rooms and ER physicians to clear up misconceptions regarding the law.

Maternal mental health is another concern of the Iowa bishops regarding women. The ICC would like to see the creation of a mental health program for new mothers. They have been working with a coalition of numerous groups such as UnityPoint Health on the issue.

A preschool proposal to provide funds for children living in poverty is another project the conference has been addressing. Chapman said the current students in a four-year-old program run by the state receive $4,000, which is 50% of K through 12 funding.

“The proposal would be to increase that to 100% for children who are below the free and reduced lunch level, which is 185% of the federal poverty level. We’ve supported that and have been working with public schools on that issue,” the director said.

He noted that in some parts of the state, the partnership with Catholic preschools and public schools works well, such as in the Des Moines area, but in other areas is not the case.

The four Iowa bishops“It’s a very bipartisan issue – the most bipartisan that’s out there. Both Democrat and Republican leaders are talking about this and working on it. So, this could be a good thing for students,” Chapman said.

Chapman and the ICC are hosting a webinar open to the public on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m., “Advocating for Justice 2025.” Diocesan and ICC staff will update participants on current issues of interest and help participants find ways to advocate for justice. Register here.

(Statehouse photo from iowa.gov)