Courts stymie abortion bans in Iowa, other GOP-led states

By THOMAS BEAUMONT and DAVID PITT
Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa Supreme Court decision is holding back the state’s solidly Republican Legislature and governor from banning abortion if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Iowa is among GOP-controlled states that would be expected to ban abortion, except for state high court decisions recognizing the right under the state constitutions. The issue is most immediate in Iowa, where a court now dominated by Republican appointees is expected to decide in the coming weeks whether to uphold the ruling, decided just four years ago. The Iowa case highlights the inevitable confrontation between new abortion bans being prepared in anticipation of Roe’s reversal and state constitutions.