Capitol Notebook: Planned Parenthood, others withdraw challenge to Iowa abortion restrictions

DES MOINES — The plaintiffs in a lawsuit that unsuccessfully challenged new restrictions on abortions in Iowa withdrew their legal challenge Thursday, bringing a procedural close to a seven-year legal conflict.

Lawyers for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the ACLU of Iowa and the Emma Goldman Clinic on Thursday submitted a notice of voluntary dismissal to the Polk County District Court.

The notice signals the end of the plaintiffs’ legal challenge to the new state law that bans abortions after cardiac activity can be detected. The Iowa Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision on June 28 upheld the law.

Iowa Republicans first approved an abortion ban at cardiac activity in 2017. That law was struck down a year later by the Iowa Supreme Court in a 5-2 decision.

But after U.S. Supreme Court and Iowa Supreme Court rulings in 2022 overturned earlier legal precedence on abortion laws, Iowa Republicans in 2023 passed another law banning abortions once cardiac activity can be detected.

This time, the Iowa Supreme Court — with five new justices, all appointed by Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds — upheld the law.

After the Iowa Supreme Court’s June 28 ruling, plaintiffs asked the court to rehear the case. The court denied that request.

Cardiac activity typically can be detected around the sixth week of pregnancy, which often is before a woman is aware of the pregnancy. Advocates for access to abortions say the law will effectively make the vast majority of abortions in Iowa illegal.

Iowa unemployment rate steady

Iowa’s unemployment rate for July remained at 2.8 percent, unchanged since April, according to the latest state workforce data.

The 2.8 unemployment rate is 0.2 percent lower than July 2023 and is below the national rate of 4.3 percent.

“July’s report provides evidence of a tightening national economy, consistent with what we are seeing across the country,” Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend said in a news release.

“Some industries, such as advanced manufacturing, have been under pressure for some time, and the impacts of that are beginning to appear in July’s data. However, Iowa’s employers continue to hire, and there are more than 56,000 open jobs available at iowaworks.gov.”