A bill introduced Wednesday by Iowa Rep. Jon Dunwell, R-Newton, would loosen accountability requirements for the state and third-party contractors of the More Options for Maternal Support, or MOMS, program.
The MOMS program mainly encourages alternatives for mothers seeking an abortion, and was passed into law in 2022 by the state’s GOP-controlled legislature. The state has failed to find a third-party administrator for the program for over a year, after asking for bids twice in 2023.
The program is aimed at promoting nonprofits that provide “healthy pregnancies” and childbirth and pregnancy support services.
The bill eliminates previous requirements — such as having these support systems in place for at least three years — and will now simply require that nonprofits create and manage systems.
It also eliminated a requirement for the department to “create and maintain a network of subcontractors” and a published online list of contractors from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
It also changed when Iowa HHS must submit an annual report to the Iowa Legislature, originally slated to begin this year but will now take place on Oct. 1, 2024.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa criticized the bill in a press release Wednesday afternoon. Ruth Richardson, Planned Parenthood North Central States President and CEO said the bill was disappointing, considering that 33 counties in Iowa are designated as maternity care deserts.
“It is deeply disappointing that anti-choice politicians are more interested in making it easier to deceive Iowans in need rather than increasing access to essential expert health care across the state,” Richardson said in the release.
The release continued to state that anti-abortion centers don’t provide medical care, have no oversight from state or federal medical authorities, and use “false and misleading tactics” to attract pregnant women to their services.
“This bill is just another example of Iowa politicians being out of touch with the constituents they serve and the needs of our state,” Mazie Stilwell, public affairs director for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa. “Iowans need to voice their opposition to this dangerous program and remind their elected representatives they are paying attention to their reckless behavior.”
