GOP to renew effort to ban Iowa abortion funding

Published On: Jan 24 2013 06:27:16 AM CST   Updated On: Jan 24 2013 06:27:00 AM CST
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -

Republican lawmakers say they're going to try again to ban the rare use of public money to finance abortions for low-income women.

Marshalltown Rep. Matt Windschitl says he and other House Republicans are holding preliminary talks on a proposal to prevent Medicaid reimbursement for any abortions. Last fiscal year, the state reimbursed 22 abortions at a cost of $19,402.

State and federal laws now limit abortions to low-income women who have been the victims of rape or incest, to save the mother's life, or if a fetus has severe deformities.

A similar effort delayed Iowa lawmakers during the end of the last legislative session, as Republicans tried to push a rule banning government-funded abortions.

Republicans finally gave up on the effort under pressure to end the session.

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