Iowa Supreme Court overrides temporary block of state heartbeat law

The state’s highest court issued a 4-3 ruling on Friday to override a temporary injunction placed on the state’s heartbeat law, once again protecting unborn babies from abortion after about six weeks of gestation. Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s heartbeat law, which prompted a lower court to pause the law’s enforcement. Iowa law previously barred abortions after 20 weeks, nearly halfway through the second trimester. The pro-life law passed last summer protects babies from abortion once doctors detect a heartbeat, with exceptions in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. The court ruling temporarily allows the law to be enforced while Planned Parenthood’s court case continues. More...