Lawmakers cut penalty before fertility fraud bill sent to Iowa governor

DES MOINES — Despite Democratic opposition to a Republican-backed amendment to lessen the penalty, the Iowa House unanimously approved legislation to allow victims of assisted reproductive fraud to seek legal damages and perpetrators could face misdemeanor charges.

The House approved the Senate change that would reduce the charge from sexual abuse in the third degree, a Class C felony, to sexual abuse in the fourth degree, an aggravated misdemeanor.

“That just doesn’t make sense to me,” said Rep. Kristin Sunde, D-Des Moines. “I don't understand why we would think that's a lesser crime and should have a lesser penalty.”

Senate File 529 was among handful of bills the House approved on final passage Tuesday.

The so-call “fraud in assisted reproduction act” addresses circumstances in which Iowans seeking help in getting pregnant instead are the victims of unethical health care providers who took advantage of their vulnerable situations.

Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/lawmakers-cut-penalty-before-fertility-fraud-bill-sent-to-iowa-governor/
(Cedar Rapids Gazette)