The unusual situation means that a lower court’s decision blocking Iowa’s so-called fetal heartbeat law remains.
Iowa’s Supreme Court kept abortion from effectively being outlawed in the state by not actually reaching a decision in a case. How could that be? That’s because the six justices voting in the appeal deadlocked 3-3 on Friday. So that means the district court’s ruling, which blocked a six-week ban from taking effect, will stand.
In 2019, the district court blocked Iowa’s so-called fetal heartbeat law, which would ban abortions at about six weeks — before many women know they’re pregnant.
