DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Polk County District judge denied an emergency injunction that would have halted a mandatory 72-hour waiting period for abortions in Iowa.
The ruling Thursday afternoon by Judge Jeffrey Farrell was prompted by Gov. Terry Branstad’s announcement that he will sign a bill into law Friday that includes the waiting period. The bill will go into effect immediately when signed.
Alice Clapman, a lawyer for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, says 44 scheduled procedures will be made illegal if Branstad signs the bill as planned.
Lawyers seeking the injunction say they will appeal the ruling to the Iowa Supreme Court.
Iowa Solicitor General Jeffrey Thompson argued there is not a constitutional right to an abortion on demand.