Iowa Planned Parenthood ‘prepared to fight’ abortion restrictions in court

DES MOINES — Iowa Planned Parenthood representatives said they plan to challenge in court any abortion restriction that comes out of next week’s special legislative session.

It also encouraged lawmakers to vote against any limits to abortion rights in Iowa.

The group will “continue to fight to protect access through the courts” if lawmakers again pass a bill that would ban abortion at around six weeks, Ruth Richardson, CEO of Planned Parenthood of the North Central States, told reporters Thursday.

“It's difficult to say what will happen within the courts,” she said. “But we are committed to this fight. We recognize that any ban is going to be extremely harmful to Iowans, and so we're prepared to fight that process if that's what it comes to after this session next week.”

On Wednesday, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds called a special session for Tuesday for the purpose of enacting a new law to restrict abortion. The move comes after the Iowa Supreme Court declined to reinstate a 2018 law that would have banned abortions once cardiac activity is detected in a fetus, usually around six weeks.

The court deadlocked, 3-3, meaning abortion remains legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Multiple Republicans have said they are expecting to pass the same six-week ban when they gather in Des Moines on July 11.

“Iowans have elected representatives willing to stand up for the rights of the unborn and, in doing so, they have voted strongly in support of pro-life principles and against the arbitrary destruction of innocent, defenseless lives,” Reynolds said in a statement Wednesday.

“ … I believe the pro-life movement is the most important human rights cause of our time,” she said. “Not only will I continue to fight against the inhumanity of abortion, but I will also remain committed to supporting women in planning for motherhood, promoting fatherhood and parenting, and continuing policies that encourage strong families.”

Anti-abortion activists and Republicans applauded the special session, which many had called for after the court’s decision was announced.

“In light of the Iowa Supreme Court's deadlocked ruling that blocked our Fetal Heartbeat Law that was signed in 2018 from going into effect, I commend Gov. Kim Reynolds for calling a special legislative session to once again address and hopefully settle this matter of utmost importance to Iowans,” Republican Party of Iowa co-chair Linda Upmeyer said in a statement.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has noted the cardiac activity heard in the earliest weeks of pregnancy is not accurately described as a heartbeat, because the chambers of the heart have not developed yet.

Time for Iowans to ‘raise their voices’

Abortion rights advocates on Wednesday also called on Iowans who support abortion access contact their lawmakers and encourage them to vote against any ban or limits on abortion.

Mazie Stilwell, a lobbyist for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa, said the organization is asking Iowans to show up at the Capitol on Tuesday and call their representatives before Tuesday.

In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa also appealed to individual legislators to vote against limits, saying the Legislature is “not simply an arm of the Governor’s Office.”

“Our legislators are independently elected to uphold our constitution and to serve Iowans, reflecting the needs and desires of Iowans,” said ACLU of Iowa Executive Director Mark Stringer. “And polling shows that 61 percent of Iowans support abortion rights, especially in cases of rape, incest and to protect the life and health of the woman.”

Comments: cmcculloug@qctimes.com