The State of Abortion: Iowa Amendment Overturns Abortion Protections in State Constitution

the state of abortion access

We are all waiting to see what the fate of Roe v. Wade will be. The leaked decision in Jackson Women’s Health v. Dobbs last month revealed what we’ve all been afraid of: that the Supreme Court is prepared to overturn Roe.

The crucial thing to understand right now is that overturning or gutting Roe v Wade would be an act of violence—violence particularly against low-income families, Black women, and queer people. Marginalized communities will be hardest hit by the end of Roe. For those that can’t afford to travel for abortion care, they may be forced to carry a pregnancy to term, which in the United States can be fatal—especially for Black women who are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white, non-Hispanic women.

A Supreme Court decision overturning Roe would be the culmination of a decades-long coordinated attack on abortion access. For years, states legislators have passed restrictions that make abortion access nearly impossible for many. They are particularly emboldened now; as we wait for the final word from the Supreme Court, we are already seeing horrible, dangerous bans being rapidly passed and enacted in the states.

Residents in at-risk states would face many kinds of harm if Roe were overturned, and bans have already been passed. Thirteen states have trigger bans in place that would outlaw abortion if SCOTUS overturned Roe, and some of those states have also passed bans modelled after the Mississippi 15-week ban and the Texas abortion ban. 

Things are bad—and as we wait for news from the Supreme Court, people’s rights and freedoms are being attacked from many sides. In the meantime, we’re still tracking laws and actions happening in the states—let’s dive into the State of Abortion.

Bad news

Iowa

The Iowa State Supreme Court ruled that abortion was not protected under the state constitution, opening the door to state legislators restricting or banning abortion in Iowa. The decision overturned a 2018 ruling that declared that abortion was protected under the state constitution, which had positioned Iowa as an essential state for abortion access in a post-Roe landscape. 

Donate to the Iowa Abortion Access Fund to help Iowan’s access care.

Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, the fallout of the recent abortion ban has left clinics empty. Patients from Oklahoma and Texas have stopped calling. This stark reality shows us what a post-Roe world looks like.

Donate to the Roe Fund or Indigenous Women Rising to support those seeking abortions in Oklahoma. And volunteer with Trust Women to fight back against harmful legislation in Oklahoma and support people seeking care.  

Wyoming

Someone set fire to an abortion clinic at the end of May that was scheduled to open this month. The fire has delayed the opening of the clinic by six months. 

Donate to independent abortion clinics to support clinics like this that are facing violence and harassment while trying to provide essential care. 

Good news

New York

Governor Kathy Hochul has signed into law multiple bills that aim to make New York an abortion “safe haven” with protective measures for N.Y. residents, out-of-state patients, and providers.

TLDR

Bottom line, people’s lives, health and constitutional rights are hanging in the balance with the potential fall of Roe v. Wade. We all need to show up to support abortion in this time, and continue the fight against radical, far-right views dominating our state legislatures and courts. In the face of this violence, we must share our understanding that abortion is care—health care, community care, and self-care.

So let’s show up for each other and for those who will be most impacted by this decision. Our lives and freedoms depend on it.