The Iowa Supreme Court, in a four-to-three decision, has upheld the state's "heartbeat law," or abortion ban. The statute, signed by Governor Kim Reynolds in July 2023, bans abortion once a baby's heartbeat can be "heard." Our friends at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America estimate that the law will prevent 2,000 abortions annually in Iowa.
Iowa's heartbeat law does allow exceptions:
• rape and incest reported to the police or a health agency
• mothers in life-threatening medical emergencies
• the preborn child has an "abnormality" that is considered incompatible with life.
The court's major pro-life win is their second. In 2022, the Iowa justices ruled that there was no "fundamental right" to abortion in the state's constitution.
JDFI congratulates Iowa for strengthening its pro-life laws to ensure the protection of their defenseless preborn children.
The Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago granted each state the authority to make its own decisions regarding the sanctity of life. Some states, such as Iowa, are moving in a pro-life direction, which JDFI applauds. Other states, such as Maryland and Michigan, have adopted abortion regimes that are worse than Roe v. Wade. So, the battle continues.
As a reminder, 17 states have adopted strong pro-life laws. Nine states and the District of Columbia allow abortion on demand. The remaining 24 states fall somewhere in between.
As we have previously reported, the Biden-Harris administration is all-in for abortion on demand. When the Dobbs decision was announced, President Biden created a task force to promote abortion in any way he possibly could. Vice President Harris became the spokesperson for the administration's abortion agenda.
• They turned the Pentagon into an abortion travel agency.
• They enabled Veterans Administration hospitals to perform abortions.
• They tried to force hospital emergency rooms to perform abortions.
• They have endorsed a proposed federal law that would erase all state pro-life laws.
JDFI will continue to defend the sanctity of life and work for the day when every child is welcomed into the world and protected by law.