The Iowa AG Office has paused funding emergency contraception and abortion for victims of sexual assault

Attorney General Brenna Bird’s office said it has suspended payment for emergency contraception for sexual assault victims while they are reviewing state policy.

Federal regulations and state law require Iowa to pay many of the expenses for sexual assault victims who seek medical help, such as the costs of forensic exams and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. 

Under Iowa's previous Democrat attorney general, Tom Miller, the state provided funding for Plan B the emergency contraceptive pill and in rare cases, paid for abortions. However, it was announced on Saturday that Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird, elected last fall, had decided to pause the funding.

Iowa code states this is for the purpose of "gathering evidence" and "preventing venereal disease." However, the state said it pays for the exam regardless of whether a victim reports a crime to law enforcement.

The Sexual Abuse Examination Payment program is funded using the Attorney General’s Crime Victim Compensation Program, which covers out-of-pocket expenses for victims of violent crimes.

The fund can pay for things like medical care, lost wages and funeral expenses, according to information on the attorney general's website. It's is made up of criminal fines and penalty fees, not taxpayer dollars, and is a separate fund in the state treasury, as dictated by Iowa law.

Previously, the Sexual Abuse Examination Payment program has funded emergency contraception and abortion.

Emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after-pill or by the brand name Plan B, is medication that can be taken up to five days after intercourse to prevent pregnancy. It is different than medication used to induce abortions.

Plan B is available over-the-counter and costs around $50. Generic versions are also available that cost less. Ella, another emergency contraceptive, is available with a prescription.

The attorney general's office did not give a timeline for when it will make a decision on whether the state will continue to fund emergency contraception and abortion under the program.

Planned Parenthood North Central States CEO Ruth Richardson called the move "abhorrent and further demonstrates politicians’ crusade against Iowans’ health and rights."

"Sexual assault survivors shouldn’t have to worry about how they are going to cover the cost of health care after being assaulted. Survivors should be able to get the health care they need, and which survivors have relied on for years," Richardson said, in a statement.

Bird, a Republican, took office in January after ousting Tom Miller, a Democrat who held the office for nearly 40 years, in last November's election.

She has publicly taken a strong anti-abortion stance, and is defending the state's attempt to reinstate its so-called "fetal heartbeat" law, which bans abortion as early as six weeks of pregnancy, when it goes before the Iowa Supreme Court for oral arguments next week.