Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the treatment of an unborn child for the purposes of damages for wrongful death, homicide and related crimes, and assault, making penalties applicable, and including effective date and applicability provisions
Sponsored by Rep. Mark Cisneros (R), Rep. Zach Dieken (R), Rep. Samantha Fett (R), Rep. Dean Fisher (R), Rep. Craig P. Johnson (R), Rep. Wendy Larson (R), Rep. Charley Thomson (R), Rep. John H. Wills (R)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 6, 2026
- Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by February 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill relates to the treatment of an unborn child for purposes of damages for wrongful death, certain crimes, and certain defenses. The bill provides the purposes of the bill.336 (damages for wrongful death) to provide that damages for wrongful death of a child shall include the wrongful death of an unborn child, as defined in the bill to mean an individual organism of the species homo sapiens from fertilization to fetal death or live birth.1A (homicide and related crimes —— unborn child victim) that provides that for the purpose of Code chapter 707 (homicide and related crimes), “person” includes an unborn child when the person is the victim of the crime.
Read the full explanation
The new Code section provides that prosecution of a crime under Code chapter 707, when the victim is an unborn child, is subject to the same presumptions, defenses, justifications, immunities, clemencies, and other due process protections that would apply if the victim were a person following a live birth. The Code section shall not apply to the unintentional death of an unborn child resulting from the performance of life-saving procedures to save the life of a pregnant woman when accompanied by reasonable steps, if available, to save the life of the unborn child; or to a miscarriage. If a provision of law conflicts with the new Code section, the new Code section prevails.1A (assault on an unborn child). The new Code section provides that for the purpose of Code chapter 708 (assault), “person” includes an unborn child when the person is the victim of the crime. The new Code section provides that prosecution of a crime under Code chapter 708, when the victim is an unborn child, is subject to the same presumptions, defenses, justifications, immunities, clemencies, and other due process protections that would apply if the victim were a person following a live birth. The Code section shall not apply to the unintentional death of or harm to an unborn child resulting from the performance of life-saving procedures to save the life of a pregnant woman when accompanied by reasonable steps, if available, to save the life of the unborn child; or to a miscarriage. If a provision of law conflicts with the new Code section, the new Code section prevails. The bill takes effect upon enactment. The bill applies only to conduct or an act occurring on or after the effective date of the bill.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
Iowa Code it changes
Amends§633.336
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
6 for · 6 against · 0 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
Tried before
91st General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.
- HF 2256 Relating to the treatment of an unborn child for the purposes of damages for wrongful deat…90th General Assembly · In committee · very similarCleared committee
Matched by the wording of each bill’s explanation, or an identical title. Companion bills and renumbered versions of this bill aren’t listed; they’re the same bill.