Injunction on Reynolds’ fetal heartbeat law remains

The law would have banned abortion at six-weeks. Gov. Kim Reynolds will appeal the decision.

Jerod Ringwald

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks during a watch party for Iowa Republicans on Election Day at the Hilton Downtown in Des Moines on Nov. 8, 2022.

Natalie Dunlap, Politics Editor


Abortion remains legal up to 20 weeks of pregnancy in Iowa, as the Polk County District Court rejected a motion to dissolve the permanent injunction on the “fetal heartbeat bill” which would ban abortion at six weeks.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law in 2018, but courts have prevented the legislation from taking effect. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Reynolds requested the injunction on the law be lifted.

“It has not been established that the court has any authority, inherent or based on the rules of civil procedure, which allows it to retain jurisdiction in order to dissolve the permanent injunction in this case,” Judge Celene Gogerty wrote in the ruling. “Additionally, even if the court had jurisdiction to dissolve the permanent injunction, the State has failed to show that there has been a substantial change in the law under the Iowa Constitution that would change the circumstances.” 

Reynolds said she will be immediately appealing this decision and she is still going to work to implement anti-abortion policies.

“As the Iowa and U.S. Supreme Courts have made clear, there is no fundamental right to an abortion,” Reynolds said in a statement shared Monday evening. “The decision of the people’s representatives to protect life should be honored, and I believe the court will ultimately do so.”