Our lawyers worked deep into the night, alongside Planned Parenthood, to successfully ask the Iowa Supreme Court first thing this morning for an emergency, temporary injunction to block portions of Iowa's new, harmful abortion law from being enacted.
Just hours after Gov. Terry Branstad signed the new law and immediately enacted the law, the Iowa Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction to protect Iowa women’s access to safe, legal abortion. The injunction will stop enforcement of Governor Branstad’s unconstitutional efforts to force a 72-hour forced delay and an additional, medically unnecessary clinic appointment for Iowa women seeking an abortion until the Court has a chance to review the arguments presented by the state and by lawyers representing Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.
"This emergency stop gap protects the status quo of the parties. The state will have an opportunity to reply on Monday, sometime shortly after which the Court will determine whether to keep the short-term injunction in place throughout PPHeartland's appeal.
ACLU of Iowa and Planned Parenthood attorneys worked late into the night Thursday, and filed an appeal of District Court Judge Jeffrey Farrell’s denial yesterday of a temporary injunction. Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the ACLU of Iowa filed the lawsuit on behalf of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland on Wednesday, May 3.
“We are pleased that the Court granted the temporary injunction, ruling on the side of Iowa women who need access to, and have a constitutional right, to safe, legal abortion,” said Suzanna de Baca, CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. “This ruling means that dozens of women today are able to access the care they need. In the two hours we saw patients between the governor signing this legislation into law and when the temporary injunction was ordered, havoc was wreaked on many patients’ lives. One woman had driven seven hours to her appointment, only to be told she couldn’t have the procedure today; others were angry and upset at the intrusion into their lives. Our staff had to call some patients back who had just been told they would be unable to have a procedure today.
“We are hopeful that the Court will ultimately agree that of the Iowa women, whose right to safe, legal abortion has been accepted law for 44 years, continue to have the protection that has been guaranteed under the Iowa constitution."
“This morning, the Iowa Supreme Court granted the ACLU's and Planned Parenthood's emergency request for a temporary injunction, filed overnight following a denial by the district court of a similar motion below late yesterday,” said ACLU of Iowa legal director Rita Bettis. “This order immediately and temporarily blocks the challenged provisions of the law: the 72-hour minimum waiting period and medically unnecessary additional appointment. This means women scheduled to have abortion procedures today will be able to receive care as scheduled.”
