Representative Deacon urges action on abortion laws, cites post-change statistics

Representative Deacon used a floor personal-privilege speech to criticize recent abortion-related developments and protest signage at the Capitol and to urge colleagues to act. Deacon said, "How do we feel about, children being murdered in our state still?" and later stated, "Babies can still be murdered in Iowa under, under the legality of the law." He framed the remarks as a moral appeal and urged the chamber to respond.

During the speech Deacon cited numerical figures for a recent period (August 2024 through January 2025) that he attributed to reporting and to the "Society of Family Planning": "Between August 2024 and January 2025, there were 520 clinic-based abortions reported in Iowa. Society of Family Planning says that there were 850 telehealth abortions in Iowa," and he characterized the combined figure as "1400 babies killed" in that timeframe. The transcript records these figures as statements by Deacon; the chamber did not record any debate, answer, or fact-check on the floor in response to those claims.

No motion or committee action on this issue was recorded in the session. The remarks were delivered during a personal-privilege floor appearance and concluded without formal follow-up recorded in the transcript. The House subsequently recessed by voice vote.