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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 18 July 2023

Abortion in Iowa is legal again, for now, after a judge blocks new restrictions

By HANNAH FINGERHUT abortion advocates are
Associated Press likely right to say the new
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — law violates Iowans' consti-
An Iowa judge on Monday tutional rights, Seidlin said,
temporarily blocked the which led him to grant the
state's new ban on most temporary block.
abortions after about six Lawyers for the state ar-
weeks of pregnancy, just gued — and will likely con-
days after Gov. Kim Reyn- tinue to argue — that the
olds signed the measure law should be analyzed
into law. using rational basis review,
That means abortion is the lowest level of scrutiny
once again legal in Iowa to judge legal challenges.
up to 20 weeks of pregnan- "We are deeply relieved
cy while the courts assess that the court granted this
the new law's constitution- relief so essential health
ality. care in Iowa can contin-
The new law prohibits al- ue," said Abbey Hardy-Fair-
most all abortions once banks, medical director of
cardiac activity can be the Iowa City-based Emma
detected, which is usually Goldman Clinic, in a state-
around six weeks of preg- ment. "We are also acutely
nancy and before many Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds takes part in a panel discussion during a Republican Governors aware that the relief is only
women know they are Association conference on Nov. 15, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. pending further litigation
pregnant. Associated Press and the future of abortion
The Republican-controlled the governor put pen to state's Board of Medicine "incompatible with life;" or in Iowa remains tenuous
Legislature approved the paper, preemptively mak- should proceed with cre- if the pregnancy is endan- and threatened."
measure in a rare, all-day ing hundreds of calls to pre- ating rules for enforce- gering the life of the preg- Most Republican-led states
special session last week, pare patients for the uncer- ment, as the law specifies. nant woman. have drastically limited
prompting a legal chal- tainty and keeping clinics That way the guidance Seidlin specified that his abortion access in the year
lenge by the ACLU of Iowa, open late. for health care providers ruling today hinges on the since the U.S. Supreme
Planned Parenthood North Reynolds swiftly put out a would be well defined if the "undue burden" test, which Court overturned Roe v.
Central States and the statement underscoring law were to be in effect in is an intermediate level of Wade and handed author-
Emma Goldman Clinic. her intention to fight the is- the future. scrutiny that requires laws ity on abortion law to the
Judge Joseph Seidlin held sue all the way to the state There are limited circum- do not create a significant states. More than a dozen
a hearing on the matter Supreme Court. stances under the law that obstacle to abortion. states have bans with lim-
Friday, but said he would "The abortion industry's at- would allow for abortion The state Supreme Court, ited exceptions and one
take the issue under ad- tempt to thwart the will of after the point in a preg- in its latest rulings on the state, Georgia, bans abor-
visement — just as Reyn- Iowans and the voices of nancy where cardiac ac- issue, said that undue bur- tion after cardiac activity is
olds signed the bill into law their elected representa- tivity is detected: rape, if re- den remains in effect "with detected.
about a mile away. tives continues today," she ported to law enforcement an invitation to litigate the Several other states have
Abortion providers said said. or a health provider within issue further," Seidlin wrote. similar restrictions that are
they scrambled last week The ruling Monday does 45 days; incest, if reported "This, perhaps, is the litiga- on hold pending court rul-
to fit in as many appoint- specify that while the law within 145 days; if the fe- tion that accepts the invita- ings, as is now the case in
ments as possible before is temporarily paused, the tus has a fetal abnormality tion." Using that standard, Iowa.q

Veteran police official Edward Caban

becomes first Latino to head the NYPD

the first Latino to lead the His beaming father, retired ter 18 months.
178-year-old department. Detective Juan Caban, Sewell, the first woman to
Mayor Eric Adams adminis- and other family members lead the department, did
tered the oath of office in joined Caban as he was not provide a reason for her
front of the Bronx station- sworn in as the city's top resignation, but there had
house where Caban start- police official. been speculation that oth-
ed his career, and praised Caban thanked Adams for er officials including Depu-
his new police commission- choosing him to head the ty Mayor for Public Safety
er as "representative of this 33,000-member police de- Philip Banks III, an Adams
blue-collar city." partment. ally, were undermining her
NYPD Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban, right, is sworn in Caban, the son of a transit "To be the first Hispanic authority.
during a ceremony outside New York City Police Department police officer who served police commissioner is an Adams and Caban both
40th Precinct on Monday, July 17, 2023, in New York. with Adams when the now- honor of the highest mea- praised Sewell, who did
Associated Press
mayor was on the transit sure," Caban said. not attend her successor's
force, said he joined the Caban, 55, has served swearing-in.
By KAREN MATTHEWS ment as a young patrol NYPD as "a young Puerto as acting commissioner "Commissioner Sewell
Associated Press officer in 1991 and rose Rican kid" at a time when since the resignation of smashed a glass ceiling,"
NEW YORK (AP) — Edward through the ranks, was when "the top bosses of the Keechant Sewell, who an- Caban said, "and she did
Caban, who joined the sworn in Monday as police police department didn't nounced last month that so with grace, confidence
New York Police Depart- commissioner, becoming really look like me." she was stepping down af- and honor."q