The Iowa Supreme Court has yet to take action on new restrictions on abortions in the state, leaving the law in limbo. District Court Judge Jeffrey Farrell indicated that he will wait to lift the injunction on the law until the Supreme Court rules on a request for a rehearing from the plaintiffs. The law, passed by statehouse Republicans in July 2023, bans abortions in Iowa once cardiac activity can be detected, typically around the sixth week of pregnancy. This has raised concerns among advocates for abortion access, who say the law effectively bans the vast majority of abortions in the state.
Legal challenges are ongoing, with the Iowa Supreme Court ruling the law constitutional on June 28 and ordering the lower court to dissolve the injunction. However, plaintiffs filed a request for rehearing on July 11, which has not yet been ruled on by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, abortion remains legal in Iowa until roughly the 20th week of pregnancy.
Peter Im, a lawyer for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, requested multiple days’ notice before the injunction is dissolved to help patients and health providers who have scheduled appointments. Farrell considered the request reasonable and indicated his willingness to provide such notice. The Iowa Supreme Court’s decision on the rehearing request will ultimately determine when the new abortion restrictions go into effect in the state.
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