Yesterday, the Republican-led legislature held a special session, where both the House and Senate passed a bill that'll ban most abortions after six weeks — before most women know they are pregnant. The move will significantly tighten the window for legal abortions (they're currently allowed through 20 weeks of pregnancy), and there'll be exceptions for rape, incest, if the woman's life is in danger, or if there are certain fetal abnormalities. The measure is similar to the state's 2018 abortion ban, which the Iowa Supreme Court deadlocked on less than a month ago, preventing it from going into effect. Now, the state is poised to restrict the procedure anyway.
What happens next?
The bill will be sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds' (R) desk to sign into law — which is expected to happen Friday. Once she signs it, the six-week ban will take effect immediately. However, abortion advocates are expected to challenge the measure as soon as it becomes law. While Republicans maintain the bill protects human rights, Democrats in the state argue the measure doesn't align with the beliefs of the majority of Iowans. Case in point: Earlier this year, one poll found that over 60% of adults in Iowa believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases.
theSkimm
For years, Iowa lawmakers have tried to restrict abortion access. Now, the state is set to join at least a dozen others that have banned or severely limited abortion access since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Bank of America. Yesterday, the second largest US bank agreed to pay $150 million in fines and $100 million to impacted consumers — one of the heftiest financial penalties against the bank in recent years. It comes after an investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that the bank hurt hundreds of thousands of customers over several years by charging repeated overdraft fees for the same transaction, withholding credit card sign-up bonuses, and opening accounts in customers' names without their knowledge or permission. In a statement, Bank of America said it had already voluntarily reduced overdraft fees and declined to comment on the allegations of fake accounts.
Where people are reeling...
Vermont. Earlier this week, record rainfall pummeled the state, creating catastrophic flooding. For context, two months of rain fell in two days and flooding topped 22 feet — the highest since 1927. Authorities have rescued over 100 people from the flood waters and more are believed to still be trapped. Gov. Phil Scott (R) said the damage, which includes thousands of homes and businesses, is worse than past storms and dubbed the recent rainfall "Tropical Storm Irene 2.0." Meanwhile, President Biden declared a state of emergency and directed federal assistance to help in the response. But there's still reason to be concerned: The state's three major dams are at risk of overflowing, and more rain is expected in the coming days.
What's leveling up…
Microsoft. Yesterday, a federal judge gave the company the go-ahead to buy Activision Blizzard. Last year, the FTC sued to block the nearly $69 billion merger — the largest in the video game industry — claiming it would reduce competition and consequently hurt gamers. Now, Microsoft's expected to finalize the merger by the end of the month, gaining ownership to games like Call of Duty, Candy Crush, and World of Warcraft. Game on.
Who's facing mounting allegations...
Jonah Hill. Over the weekend, a former child star accused him of "predatory behavior" when she was a minor. It comes as Hill is already under fire, after his ex-girlfriend alleged that he was emotionally abusive while they were together. Hill's attorney denied the new accusations, calling it "a complete fabrication."
A type of vocal avatar that allows people to change or manipulate their voice online. Or even clone other voices using AI. We know, spooky. You can blame it for the rise in what's known as "voice fraud."
Don't wanna get duped? In this video, Dr. Lena Vincent (AKA the internet's fave astrobiologist) takes us back to science class, explaining just how quickly false claims and misinformation can spread. Plus how to spot — and stop — them. Explosions were involved, but lies — and voice skin — were not. Watch it here.
Skimm Life
Welcome to day two of Prime Day. If you haven't made any purchases yet, we've got you. Here are some can't-miss deals to snag before they're gone:
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Skimm'rs
We like to celebrate the wins, big and small. Let us know how your friends, neighbors, coworkers (and yes, even you) are making career moves, checking off goals, or making an impact in the community.
Rolling high…Kenliegh D (SC).She is competing in her first-ever roller derby game with the Lowcountry Highrollers — Charleston's only all-female adult roller derby team. Let the good times roll.
(Some) Birthdays…Ellen Jaffe (FL), Rebecca Favocci (PA), Sharon Kaplan (FL), Mackenzie Gokey (NC), Kat Kahanic (NY), Maureen Langhammer (MA), Solaire Atallah (GA), Amanda Davis (KS), Lauren Henderson (IN), Ellen DeFrance (OH), Daniel Robbins (IL), Lydia Clinkscales (TX), Dana Bruneau (NY), Kayla Young (OH), Rishona Campbell (PA)
PS: Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured.
Skimm'd by: Rashaan Ayesh, Melanie De Lima, Anacaona Rodriguez Martinez, Chantal Vaca, Maria del Carmen Corpus, and Melissa Goldberg.
Photos by Joe Raedle/Staff via Getty Images, Brand Partners
