Judge Strikes Down Iowa’s Restrictive ‘Fetal Heartbeat’ Abortion Law

Anti-abortion activists participate in the "March for Life," an annual event to mark the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the US, outside the US Supreme Court in Was... Anti-abortion activists participate in the "March for Life," an annual event to mark the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the US, outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, January 18, 2019. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state judge has struck down Iowa’s restrictive “fetal heartbeat” abortion law.

Judge Michael Huppert on Tuesday found the law unconstitutional. He concluded that the Iowa Supreme Court’s earlier decisions that affirm a woman’s fundamental right to an abortion would include the new law passed last year.

The law would ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. That can happen as early as six weeks into pregnancy. It would have been the most restrictive anti-abortion law in the nation. But the legal challenge by abortion providers Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the Emma Goldman Clinic had halted it from taking effect last July.

Supporters of the law are likely to ask the Iowa Supreme Court to hear an appeal of Huppert’s ruling.

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  1. “I Regret My Abortion”

    Conservative Christians can’t live with the consequences of their actions and hate having to be accountable to them so their solution is that nobody should be allowed to make those choices for themselves.

  2. Avatar for sandi sandi says:

    No women allowed to make decisions would be more correct!

  3. “I Regret Mary Anne Trump Didn’t Have An Abortion”

  4. In this particular example, sure.

  5. Winning!

    They never tire of winning, you know, despite Dear Leader’s warning to the contrary.

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