Iowa trial court blocks parental notification law

The US District Court for the Southern District of Iowa issued a preliminary injunction on January 22 that prohibits enforcement of that state's parental notification requirement for young women seeking abortions. Under the law, which was passed by the Iowa legislature in March 1996, one parent of a woman under the age of 18 must be notified at least 48 hours before the procedure (see RFN V/6). Alternatively, the young woman may seek a court waiver of the mandate. Judge Ronald Longstaff found that the women's health care providers challenging the law were likely to prevail in their claim that the statute presents an unconstitutional obstacle to young women's right to choose abortion. Affirming findings made in a temporary restraining order that prevented the law from taking effect earlier in the month, Judge Longstaff held that the law would put doctors who provide emergency abortions to young women at risk of liability, a possibility that could discourage physicians from providing abortion services (see RFN VI/1). The court also found that the judicial bypass laid out in the statute failed to sufficiently protect a young woman's confidentiality or guarantee an expeditious procedure. The plaintiffs in Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa vs. Miller are represented by Dara Klassel and Roger Evans of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, CRLP's Priscilla Smith and Michael Erdos, Mark Lambert of Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa, and Randall Wilson of the Iowa Civil Liberties Union.