The legal battle over Iowa’s heartbeat abortion law continued with a hearing in Polk County District Court. Lawyers for Planned Parenthood and the A-C-L-U are asking a judge to forgo a trial and declare the law unconstitutional. They say it would effectively ban almost all abortions in Iowa because it prohibits them after a fetal heartbeat is detected, as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Thomas More Society lawyer, Martin Cannon, is working for the state. He says this law should stand even though the Iowa Supreme Court recently found abortion is a fundamental right.
Planned Parenthood lawyer Alice Clapman says women need more time to find out they’re pregnant, make a decision, and get the resources needed for the procedure.
Judge Michael Huppert says he’ll likely take nearly two months to decide either to permanently block the law or to move forward with a trial.
