Iowa Supreme Court: State’s 6-Week Abortion Ban Can Take Effect

The Iowa Supreme Court on June 28 ruled in favor of state officials who asked justices to lift an injunction against the state’s 6-week abortion ban. The majority said that abortion is not a fundamental right and thus state officials only have to show a rational basis for the statute. “We conclude that the fetal heartbeat statute is rationally related to the state’s legitimate interest in protecting unborn life,” Justice Matthew McDermott wrote for the majority. A lower court applied a different test and concluded groups challenging the law, including Planned Parenthood, were likely to succeed in proving it is unconstitutional. That court entered a temporary injunction as the case advanced....