Iowa leaders react to Supreme Court's decision that allows strict abortion law to go into effect
The Iowa Supreme Court has reversed a lower court ruling that put a temporary block on the state’s strict abortion law, and is telling the lower court to let the law take effect.
, the high court told the lower court to dissolve the temporary injunction and continue with further proceedings. The new law bans most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant.
The 4-3 ruling is a win for Republican lawmakers, and Iowa joins more than a dozen other states with restrictive abortion laws following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
The instructions to the lower court will be formally sent in 21 days and, for now, abortion remains legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is unclear how long the district court would take to act after that point.
WATCH: Iowa’s Supreme Court tells lower court to let strict abortion law go into effect
Here's how Iowa leaders and groups reacted to Friday's decision:
Reaction from Iowa leaders on Supreme Court's abortion decision
Gov. Kim Reynolds, Republican:
“There is no right more sacred than life, and nothing more worthy of our strongest defense than the innocent unborn. Iowa voters have spoken clearly through their elected representatives, both in 2018 when the original heartbeat bill was passed and signed into law, and again in 2023 when it passed by an even larger margin. I’m glad that the Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the will of the people of Iowa.
“As the heartbeat bill finally becomes law, we are deeply committed to supporting women in planning for motherhood, and promoting fatherhood and its importance in parenting. We will continue to develop policies that encourage strong families, which includes promoting adoption and protecting in vitro fertilization (IVF). Families are the cornerstone of society, and it’s what will keep the foundation of our state and country strong for generations to come.”
Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart:
"Today Iowa women have been stripped of reproductive rights that they have maintained for more than 50 years.
We’ve already seen the effects that these new and extreme abortion bans have on states like Alabama – where IVF is in jeopardy – and in Texas, where women have been forced to miscarry in lobby restrooms because hospitals refused to help them while they’re experiencing medical emergencies.
It's obvious Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republicans do not trust women to make their own decisions regarding their own medical care or for doctors to use their best judgment while treating their patients.
"Republicans went too far with this abortion ban, and Iowa voters will hold them accountable this November."
Iowa GOP co-chair Linda Upmeyer:
"There is no right more sacred than life, and protecting the unborn is incredibly important. Iowa, led by Republicans, is moving in the right direction of protecting life while out-of-touch, far-left progressive groups advocate for abortion up until birth. Iowa voters elect legislators to represent their values, and Iowans have made their voices heard: we need to defend the defenseless and continue to value life."
Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, Republican:
“Today’s decision marks a step in the right direction for the protection of life. While litigation continues, I appreciate the clarity the Supreme Court has provided on this issue. I am optimistic the common-sense law passed again last year to protect life at the sound of a heartbeat with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother will be found constitutional.”
Sen. Pam Jochum, Democrat:
“June 28 will be remembered as a tragic day in Iowa history,” Jochum, D-Dubuque, said. “With today’s Supreme Court ruling, a small group of extreme Republican politicians and activist judges have violated nearly two centuries of tradition in Iowa – eliminating fundamental rights rather than expanding them and attacking personal freedom rather than defending it.
“Extreme anti-choice Republicans are obsessed with controlling Iowans’ lives and dictating their personal health decisions. And today, an activist court used its power to enforce that restrictive ideology rather than applying common sense, legal precedent, and the Iowa constitution.
“With this ruling, Iowans’ healthcare options are being decided by politicians rather than doctors. Iowans’ futures will be chosen for them. Many Iowans will suffer because of this ruling, and some will die because of it.
House Speaker Pat Grassley, Republican:
“This ruling is a victory in the fight to protect unborn children in Iowa. The Legislature is elected by the people, and for too long, the courts have stood in the way of Iowans having their voices heard on this matter.
“We are a pro-life and pro-family state. In Iowa, we respect both the life of the unborn child and the life of the mother. While out-of-touch, far-left political groups fight for abortion up until the day of birth, we will continue to fight for common sense policies that promote and protect life.
“We will continue to promote strong families in all that we do in the Iowa House. We must build on the work we’ve already done to expand access to affordable child care, extend postpartum coverage on Medicaid, and improve our foster care and adoption systems.”
Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, Democrat
“Reynolds and other extreme, anti-choice Republicans passed this abortion ban in an unprecedented special session after a nearly identical version was struck down by these very courts. Today’s decision to uphold this ban puts lives in danger, plain and simple. Iowans do not support these policies – there is wide support across political affiliations for reproductive freedom here in Iowa. Despite that, Iowa Republicans have been obsessed with passing an abortion ban and today they got their wish. Iowa is already a reproductive healthcare desert, endangering lives. This decision will only make things worse. I will continue to fight to expand reproductive freedom in Iowa and to restore these freedoms for generations to come.”
The Family Leader:
"HUGE NEWS! A monumental step forward for human rights. The child in her mother's womb, with her own distinct DNA, own , , and she is endowed by her Creator with an unalienable right to !"
Sen. Zach Wahls, Democrat:
"Today’s decision by the Iowa Supreme Court to strip away the fundamental right to abortion is not only deeply distressing but also a clear indication of the extent to which extremist MAGA Republicans are willing to go to control women’s lives and bodies. This ruling ignores the voices of the vast majority of Iowans who believe in the fundamental rights of individuals to make their own medical decisions.
"Let me be clear: this relentless pursuit to dismantle reproductive rights shows a dangerous level of disregard for Iowan's autonomy and health. This is not just an attack on women; it is an assault on the fundamental freedoms of all Iowans. MAGA Republicans will not stop with abortion; as we saw this past legislative session, they are coming for IVF and contraception access next. We must stand united and fight back against this oppressive overreach. The fight is far from over, and I am committed to restoring and protecting our rights."
Iowans for Health Liberty:
"We believe the right choice for Iowans is clear: the government should stay out of the exam room and allow patients and families to make personal healthcare decisions in consultation with their doctors.
"The law becoming effective underscores the importance of continued advocacy for reproductive rights and healthcare freedom. We must remain vigilant and committed to protecting patient-centered care and ensuring that individuals retain their autonomy in making informed healthcare decisions.
"We urge our fellow Iowans to join us in this fight. Together, we can work towards a future where personal healthcare decisions are made by patients and their healthcare providers, free from government interference."
Interfaith Alliance of Iowa executive director Connie Ryan:
“Iowans overwhelmingly support the ability of every person to be able to control their own body and make their own health care decisions, including safe and legal abortion, without interference from the government or any religion.
“The majority on the Iowa Supreme Court, quite simply, got it wrong. The right to control one’s body and choose medically approved and safe procedures is a fundamental right. Abortion is health care. No court (or elected official) should ever be able to take away the right to access safe and legal abortion for those who seek it.
“Iowans know the fight is not over and we will continue to work to protect the rights of Iowans to control our own bodies and make our own health care decisions, including whether to access abortion or not. Interfaith Alliance of Iowa will work tirelessly with our partners to ensure every person has access to safe and legal abortion whether within the borders of Iowa or beyond.
“In the meantime, it is critical that every Iowan understand what is at stake in our state and our democracy. We must ensure that those elected to public office believe in and support the bodily autonomy of every person and to make their own decision regarding abortion. No elected official – or justice – has the right to interfere in that very fundamental right and private decision.”
Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison:
“Today, because of Donald Trump, women in Iowa will now suffer under an extreme abortion ban that MAGA extremists have been itching to enact ever since Trump’s hand-picked Supreme Court justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago this week – a decision that he has repeatedly and proudly taken credit for. This will further strain health providers in nearby Midwestern states, and further deepen a growing maternal mortality crisis currently seen in the region. Trump believes that extreme bans like this one, which strip women of access to basic reproductive health care and endanger their lives, are working ‘brilliantly,’ and he’s hellbent on imposing this dangerous vision on the entire country. If reelected to a second term as president, Trump will take his anti-choice, anti-freedom agenda nationwide and eliminate reproductive freedom as we know it – with or without the help of Congress. Voters know that our hard-won rights hang in the balance this November and that the only option in this election is to send President Biden and Vice President Harris back to the White House, the only candidates in this race committed to defending and restoring reproductive freedom.”