Iowa Court Stops Implementation of New Law on 72-Hour Waiting Period for Abortion
The Iowa Supreme Court stopped the implementation of a new state law that would require pregnant women who sought an abortion to wait for 72 hours before undergoing the procedure.
The state's highest court issued a temporary injunction on Senate File 471, less than two hours after Gov. Terry Branstad signed it into a law, the Des Moines Register reported.
Senate File 471 requires pregnant women to have a 72-hour waiting period before they get the procedure and to give out a certification that they had undergone ultrasound and was knowledgeable on how the unborn child looked. It also prohibits women from getting an abortion once pregnancy is determined to be 20 weeks and above.
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Planned Parenthood Federation of America along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa rejoiced at the court's decision.
"This order immediately and temporarily blocks the challenged provisions of the law; the 72-hour minimum waiting period and a medically unnecessary additional appointment," said ALCU-IOWA's Legal Director Rita Bettis.
The group was behind the request for a temporary injunction. They reasoned that the waiting period is too long and might cause undue harm to pregnant women as it required them multiple check-ups, said KWQC.
Planned Parenthood also argued that it is unconstitutional as it lacks equal-protection rights and due process in its procedure.
The group said with the temporary halting of the new law's implementation, 44 women lined up to get an abortion may now proceed with the procedure. Planned Parenthood CEO Suzanna de Baca revealed that the signed law had initially caused concerns to those who planned on getting the procedure.
De Baca told U.S. News that some women got "angry and upset at the intrusion into their lives" as some had driven for more than seven hours to get an abortion only to arrive at the clinic and learn that they would not be able to obtain it.
Iowa Solicitor General Jeffrey Thompson and Assistant Attorney General Thomas Ogden already filed a counter request on the injunction late Friday afternoon. The state officials stressed that Iowa has an interest in the matter to protect the lives of unborn children and the medical profession.
They also noted that the complainants have not identified a single case to prove the law violates the Constitution.
