Iowa asks state Supreme Court to let its restrictive abortion law go into effect

Iowa has asked the state Supreme Court to let its blocked abortion law go into effect and uphold it altogether, disputing abortion providers’ claims it infringes on women’s rights to exercise bodily autonomy. The law that bans most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy was in effect for a few days in July, after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed it but before a district court judge put it on pause as the courts assess its constitutionality. The ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic filed a legal challenge the day after it was passed. Abortion remains legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy while the new law is on hold. The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday from lawyers for the state and for abortion providers in Iowa.