Iowa’s recent abortion ban has been temporarily halted from implementation, providing continued access to abortion in the state as the legal proceedings continue.
Judge Joseph Seidlin of the Polk County District Court ruled in favor of the abortion providers’ lawsuit, acknowledging its potential success and granting a temporary injunction for the duration of the case.
“The court deems it appropriate to grant the requested temporary injunction,” stated Seidlin. “In doing so, it recognizes that there are individuals of good conscience, integrity, and legal acumen on both sides of this unsettling societal and constitutional predicament.”
“The court believes it is imperative to adhere to the existing precedent set by the Iowa Supreme Court and maintain the status quo ante as this litigation moves forward,” Seidlin added.
The lawsuit was filed by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, the Emma Goldman Clinic, and the ACLU of Iowa, contending that the abortion ban violates Iowa law.
Governor Kim Reynolds (R) signed this extensive legislation into law at the Family Leadership Summit, an evangelical conference attended by various Republican presidential candidates.
The law aims to prohibit nearly all abortions after the detection of fetal cardiac activity, typically occurring at around six weeks gestation, often before many women are even aware of their pregnancy. However, exceptions are made for instances of rape, incest, and fetal abnormalities.
Prior to this law, abortion was legally permitted in the state up to 22 weeks of pregnancy.
Back in 2018, the state introduced a nearly identical version of the law, but it was stopped by the court due to the continued existence of Roe v. Wade. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe last summer, Reynolds requested the district court to allow its enforcement.
However, when the court declined, she appealed to the state Supreme Court, which reached a deadlock with a 3-3 vote, thereby preserving the 22-week limit.
Consequently, Reynolds summoned the Republican-led state legislature to convene a special session last week solely for the purpose of passing this ban.
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