Iowa Republicans push through 6-week abortion restriction as pro-choice groups vow lawsuits

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Republican Iowa lawmakers pushed through a six-week abortion restriction during a special session on Tuesday, setting up a legal battle with pro-abortion groups in the state.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds called legislators back for a special session last week, and the state House and Senate passed legislation which bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which is typically when a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Pro-abortion groups have vowed legal action to block the bill, which Reynolds is set to sign into law on Friday.

"Today, the Iowa legislature once again voted to protect life and end abortion at a heartbeat," Reynolds said Tuesday. "I believe the pro-life movement is the most important human rights cause of our time."

The law includes exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. The law will take effect immediately when Reynolds signs the bill.

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Republican Iowa lawmakers pushed through a six-week abortion ban during a special session on Tuesday, setting up a legal battle with pro-abortion groups in the state.

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Representatives of Planned Parenthood North Central States said they plan to file a legal challenge against the legislation as soon as next week. The organization in the meantime is referring women to seek abortions out of state.

"We will keep seeing those patients and fight our way back to the Iowa Supreme Court when this law goes into effect," said Planned Parenthood's Chief Medical Officer Sarah Traxler.

Representatives of Planned Parenthood North Central States said they plan to file a legal challenge against Iowa's 6-week abortion ban as soon as next week. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

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The new legislation comes after the Iowa Supreme Court declined to reinstate an earlier 2018 law that would have had much the same effect. Reynold's administration argued the bill should take effect due to the U.S. Supreme Court's overruling of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey in June 2022.

The 2018 law had been struck down as unconstitutional in 2019, prior to the end of Roe.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.