Des Moines, Iowa — Governor Kim Reynolds says she will not be proposing any new abortion restrictions until after the U.S. Supreme Court issues its ruling on abortion.
That 2018 law calling for a ban on abortions was ruled unconstitutional. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that Iowa women have a fundamental right to an abortion under the State of Iowa’s Constitution. Since then, a majority of the justices on the Iowa Supreme Court have been appointed by Reynolds and she has asked the court to overturn that ruling. Reynolds says she doesn’t plan to ask legislators to pass any abortion-related measures in the not-yet-concluded 2022 session.
The Republican-led legislature has also drafted a constitutional amendment that says the document is silent on abortion, but 2024 is the earliest Iowans could vote on the proposal. Reynolds spoke with reporters Thursday after speaking at a National Day of Prayer service in the Iowa Capitol. She told the crowd of worshipers the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court are under tremendous pressure after the leak of draft opinion that indicates at least five justices have voted to overturn Roe v Wade.
Reynolds asked the crowd to pray for the Supreme Court justices.
She read a National Prayer Day proclamation, then said a prayer. Other legislators and elected officials also prayed at the event. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, prayed for all officials at the state and federal level, including Reynolds as well as President Biden and the U.S. Supreme Court. Miller also mentioned the government and the people of Ukraine in his prayer.
