A split decision by the Iowa Supreme Court concerning a proposed six-week abortion ban has of dealt a blow to those fighting for the sanctity of life in the Hawkeye state. The court’s justices were unable to reach a majority verdict on whether to uphold Governor Kim Reynolds’ commendable initiative to reinstate a six-week abortion ban that had previously been enacted in 2018. As a result, the court’s ruling permits the continuation of these procedures until approximately the 20th week of pregnancy, leaving many pro-life advocates deeply concerned about the protection of unborn lives in Iowa.
Pro-choice activists had declared that the six-week ban was virtually the same as total abortion ban. Many worry that this decision will set the precedent for similar state-level abortion rulings across the country.
According to NBC:
The decision by the Supreme Court in the state holding the first Republican caucuses for the 2024 race will also cement the role the divisive topic plays in presidential politics. GOP candidates already barnstorming the state are certain to be asked frequently for their positions on the ruling, which is likely to emerge as a vehicle to more adequately pin candidates on whether they support a six-week abortion ban.
While the ruling Friday drew upon a certain amount of precedent and legal argument, the decision was more narrowly tailored, stating that letting the injunction stand was simply a result of the court being deadlocked — not the product of an overt legal opinion to block reinstatement of the ban.
“One member of the court is conflicted out from this case, so the court is deadlocked 3–3 and the district court ruling is affirmed by operation of law,” the judges wrote in their decision, citing precedent that when the state Supreme Court is “equally divided,” a “decision of district court is affirmed.”
By blocking the 2018 law, the court has prevented the implementation of an important measure that aimed to protect the lives of unborn children. Pro-life supporters argue that this ruling undermines the ability of states to enact reasonable restrictions on abortion and denies the rights of unborn children.
