Statewide, Iowa — Governor Kim Reynolds is asking the state courts to lift an injunction that has prevented a so-called fetal heartbeat law from taking effect.
The law, passed in 2018, would ban abortions in Iowa after the sixth week of a pregnancy. In a written statement, Reynolds said after Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court’s historic ruling that overturned Roe v Wade, now is the time to stand up for the unborn. Iowa House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst points to a recent Des Moines Register Iowa Poll found 57 percent of Iowans support abortion rights.
Reynolds is also asking the Iowa Supreme Court to review its recent ruling that is letting a 24-hour waiting period for abortions in Iowa take effect, and make it easier for abortion restrictions to survive future challenges in Iowa courts. Konfrst says she wouldn’t be surprised if Reynolds reconvenes the legislature in the next few months if the Iowa court rulings don’t go her way.
A national CBS Poll released Sunday found the U.S. Supreme Court decision that left the abortion issue up to state legislatures made 50 percent of Democrats surveyed more motivated to vote in November. Konfrst says after watching abortion rights protests in Iowa over the weekend, she believes it will have a similar affect in Iowa races.
If Democrats win majorities in the legislature this fall and Democrat Deidre DeJear is elected governor, Konfrst says Democrats would undo some abortion restrictions — including the six week abortion ban if Iowa courts allow it to go into effect, at Governor Reynolds’ request.
Konfrst made her comments at Iowa PBS Tuesday during taping of the network’s Iowa Press program that airs Friday night. Governor Reynolds released a written statement about the legal avenue she’s pursuing to try to advance a six week abortion ban, but she did not hold a news conference or speak with reporters.
