Global Courant
The court was split in a 3-3 decision, meaning abortion remains legal in Iowa.
The Iowa Supreme Court prevented a six-week abortion ban signed into law several years ago from going into effect.
The court was split in a 3-3 decision on the case, meaning abortion will remain legal in Iowa.
The 2018 bill, signed by Governor Kim Reynolds, prevents abortions from being performed once heart activity can be detected, which usually happens around six weeks of gestation, before many women know they are pregnant.
Gov. Kim Reynolds will deliver her inaugural address on January 13, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Charlie Neibergall/AP, DOSSIER
However, the law was finally struck down in January 2019 by a district court, which ruled that the law violated the Iowa Constitution and that the state had no interest in banning abortions this early in pregnancy.
In his ruling, Polk County District Judge Michael Huppert referred to a 2018 Iowa Supreme Court decision regarding another bill that sought to restrict abortion, in which the justices had written, “a woman’s right to decide whether she wants to terminate a pregnancy is a fundamental right under the Iowa Constitution.”
Currently, abortion is banned in the state after 22 weeks, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that focuses on sexual and reproductive health.
Patients seeking an abortion in Iowa must have one in-person counseling session and return for the abortion at least 24 hours later.
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer, Iowa’s Supreme Court reversed its 2018 decision and concluded that abortion is not protected by the state constitution.
This is an evolving story. Check back later for updates.
