Abortion Bill Celebrated, Contested In Des Moines Friday

Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that will ban most abortions in Iowa.

 

Reynolds signed the bill on stage at The Family Leader’s summit in Des Moines. The crowd of two-thousand evangelical Christians at the event stood as she put her signature on the document and cheered her along with the Republican lawmakers who joined her on stage.

 

The Republican-led legislature passed the bill Tuesday during a special session and it’s almost identical to the Fetal Heartbeat Act Reynolds signed in 2018, but was never enforced due to a court injunction. Last month’s three-to-three tie on the Iowa Supreme Court kept that injunction in place. Reynolds criticized the three justices who rejected her call to let that 2018 law take effect.

 

The legislation bans most abortions after about the sixth week of a pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest and certain medical conditions. NAT SOUND of bill signing.

 

Friday  afternoon, an attorney for two Iowa abortion providers asked a judge to at least temporarily block the law from going into effect. Planned Parenthood Attorney Peter Im  argued for an injunction against the law, saying it creates an undue burden on women.

Im asked the judge to rule from the bench following arguments.

 

Assistant Attorney General Daniel Johnston argued for the state, saying Planned Parenthood’s argument leaves one thing out.

 

Johnston argued the state has an interest in protecting the unborn.

 

Johnston says there is harm done by not putting the law in place.

 

The judge thanked both sides for their arguments, but said he could “not think of anything that would be more insulting,” than to rule from the bench on “such a serious issue.” He says he will do his best to issue a ruling on Monday.