(TotalConservative.com) – A judge in Iowa has put a temporary halt on the implementation of a new heartbeat bill in the state. The law which was just signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds will be on hold to allow abortions in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy until the courts can determine the constitutionality of the new law. The law bans abortions after a heartbeat can be detected which generally occurs around 6 weeks of pregnancy. At that stage, many women are unaware they are pregnant.
During an all-day special session, the Republican-controlled state legislature approved the bill last week which prompted multiple parties including the ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood, and the Emma Goldman Clinic, to challenge it in court. Judge Joseph Seidlin held a hearing on Friday, July 14th where he temporarily halted the implementation of the bill. The bill was signed into law around the corner at the same time by the governor.
Abortion clinics scrambled to abort as many babies as possible before the law could be implemented, making hurried phone calls and rushed appointments so women could end pregnancies legally if they so desired.
Reynolds promised to fight the matter “all the way to the Supreme Court” if needed. The ruling suggested agencies within the state continue to plan for implementing the policy even though the issue is still undecided. Exceptions to the new law include reported incidents of rape or incest within limited time frames, or if there’s a medical problem that will result in the death of the infant or threatens the life of the mother.
Seidlin wrote in his opinion that a legal challenge to the SCOTUS decision was welcomed by the court in their discussion on the matter. He suggested his injunction was granted on the basis that the new law potentially violates the constitutional rights of women seeking to end their pregnancies. The injunction is temporary and the issue will continue to be fought in Iowa courts.
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