Iowa judge temporarily blocks pro-life law

Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday signed into law the state’s heartbeat bill that aims to protect unborn babies after six weeks of pregnancy. Lawmakers last week passed the measure during a special session. A local county judge on Monday temporarily blocked the bill while a challenge brought by Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups moves through the court system. Current state law only protects babies after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

How long have lawmakers been fighting for these protections? Reynolds signed a nearly identical bill into law in 2018. A court blocked that measure the same year, and the state Supreme Court in June failed to lift the injunction, ending hopes of enforcing the law. Reynolds said Monday that she plans to fight the issue back to the state’s highest court if necessary.

Dig deeper: Read Leah Savas’ report in Vitals about how states are clarifying abortion exceptions in their laws.