ADF asks Iowa Supreme Court to overrule its decision that puts unborn children, women at risk

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Elissa Graves regarding a friend-of-the-court brief ADF filed Monday with the Iowa Supreme Court in Planned Parenthood of the Heartland v. Reynolds on behalf of 60 Iowa legislators who are asking the court to reverse its 2018 decision that declared abortion “a fundamental right” and struck down the required 24-hour waiting period that ensured women have the opportunity to receive and evaluate important health information before proceeding with an abortion:

“The most fundamental of our human rights is the right to live, and yet the previous decision from the Iowa Supreme Court illegitimately compromised the ability of state legislators to protect the lives of its most vulnerable citizens. It also failed to empower women with the time and information they need before making a life-altering decision. The court unilaterally declared abortion ‘a fundamental right’ under the Iowa Constitution, undermining the state’s immense interest in protecting children and mothers. The court also struck down the commonsense requirement for an expectant mother to wait at least 24 hours before having an abortion to ensure she is fully informed about her choices before choosing that option. As we explain in our brief, the court, in its 2018 decision in this case, grossly overstepped its authority by forbidding the legislature from enacting reasonable abortion regulations that are supported by the people of Iowa and the U.S. Supreme Court. Nothing in the Iowa Constitution’s text, structure, history, or tradition suggests that abortion is a fundamental right; therefore, the court must act upon its duty to overturn ‘clearly erroneous’ precedent.”

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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