(Faith Baptist Church in Rock Rapids, Iowa - KIWA Staff Photo)Rock Rapids, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) — State Rep. Zach Dieken outlined his shift from supporting the pro-life movement to advocating for the abolition of abortion during a presentation Sunday evening at Faith Baptist Church in Rock Rapids.
The District 5 Republican and George-Little Rock graduate spoke at an event titled “Rethinking the Abortion Issue,” explaining how his Christian faith shaped his views on abortion and the role of government.
Dieken is serving his final year in the Iowa House. Republican Keith Glienke and Democrat Stephanie Steiner are running to succeed him in the Nov. 3rd election.
Faith Behind His Change in Position
Dieken said his views changed after studying Scripture and reconsidering his approach to abortion.
Throughout the presentation, Dieken contrasted incremental abortion restrictions with an approach that would extend legal protections from fertilization. He argued that criminal accountability should apply to those involved in obtaining or facilitating an abortion.
In a follow-up interview, Dieken said the accountability he supports could extend to a father or others who help arrange or facilitate an abortion. He said his approach would bring unborn children under existing criminal laws, with those laws determining responsibility for the people involved.
Dieken was among the sponsors of House File 2256 in 2024. The proposal would have recognized unborn children from fertilization as victims under certain homicide and assault laws and expanded wrongful-death provisions.
The bill did not create a specific offense for fathers or parents. Its stated purposes included removing provisions allowing a person to solicit, command, aid, or counsel a pregnant woman to obtain an abortion.
The proposal also contained exceptions involving miscarriage and unintentional harm resulting from qualifying lifesaving procedures for a pregnant woman. The bill did not advance out of the House Judiciary Committee.
Questions About Heartbeat Law Enforcement
During a Q&A session, Dieken challenged Iowa’s heartbeat law, focusing on its lack of criminal penalties.
His discussion included references to the Emma Goldman Clinic in Iowa City and his monitoring of its website. He argued the law’s enforcement provisions fall short of the accountability he supports for abortion providers.
Iowa’s heartbeat law generally prohibits abortions after cardiac activity is detected, with specified exceptions. The law provides civil penalties and professional discipline for physicians but excludes criminal or civil liability for the woman receiving the abortion.
Dieken acknowledged that providers can face professional consequences but questioned whether those penalties provide sufficient accountability.
The restriction began its enforcement on July 29th, 2024, following court proceedings. In a follow-up interview, Dieken said he had not retained screenshots of the clinic’s earlier advertising. The Emma Goldman Clinic’s current website acknowledges the prohibition on abortions after cardiac activity is detected. His account does not establish that the clinic violated the enforceable restriction.
He also argued that abortion statistics limited to procedure performed in Iowa do not reflect the total number obtained by Iowa residents through out-of-state travel or medication obtained through the mail.
Continued Advocacy Beyond the Legislature
In the follow-up interview, Dieken directed criticism toward members of his own party.
He accused Republican lawmakers of campaigning against abortion while failing to support the legal protections he favors.
During Sunday’s event, Dieken also challenged the idea that Democrats alone are responsible for abortion remaining legal, directing criticism toward pro-life organizations and their influence on lawmakers.
He criticized pro-life organizations and argued that incremental restrictions fall short of the approach he advocates.
He urged churches to address abortion through teaching, outreach, and engagement with elected officials, while emphasizing that he sees legislation as only one part of the effort.
Although he is leaving the Iowa House at the end of his term, Dieken said he plans to continue advocating at the Statehouse through a local organization that supports equal legal protection for unborn children.
