Iowa’s attorney general says a 24-hour waiting period for abortions will be enforced statewide starting today.
On June 17, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled a 24-hour waiting period for an abortion was constitutional. Iowa abortion providers began scheduling two appointments, at least a day apart — the first to certify the patient had an ultrasound and was given the option to see the image and the second for abortion.
This week, the Iowa Supreme Court rejected the governor’s request to reopen the case so the court could consider a new legal standard making it harder to find other abortion restrictions unconstitutional. By refusing to rehear the case, that has cleared the way for the 2020 law requiring the 24 hour waiting period for abortions to take effect.