On anniversary of Roe, Kim Reynolds rallies anti-abortion supporters, touts Iowa ban

On the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling and as Iowa officials continue to fight for abortion restrictions in court, Gov. Kim Reynolds told anti-abortion advocates Monday that she will "never back down" on the issue.

"There are those who say that the pro-life movement should back down," Reynolds said in the Capitol rotunda at the annual "Rally for Life" event. "They say that standing unapologetically for life is too risky, or it costs too much.

"My response is simple. I will never back down from protecting the innocent and unborn."

Reynolds, who called the Legislature back for a special session last summer to pass a six-week ban on abortion after the Iowa Supreme Court prevented a previous version from going into effect, called last year's vote "an act of courage and conviction."

And she urged anti-abortion advocates to support policies she touted in her Condition of the State speech, including an extension of Medicaid coverage for new mothers and "Thrive Iowa," a proposed program that would connect families with private sector networks and churches for assistance.

More: Kim Reynolds proposes in annual speech to boost Iowa teacher pay, overhaul AEAs, cut taxes

Reynolds has again expressed support for allowing over-the-counter birth control, though it remains to be seen whether the Republican-led Legislature will entertain the proposal.

Attorney General Brenna Bird told supporters she was "so thankful" to defend the ban before Iowa courts, telling them to expect oral arguments in the current case "probably this spring."

Both Bird and Reynolds pointed to the larger margin of passage in the Capitol for the latest iteration of Iowa's ban, with Bird calling it evidence that "we're going to be successful."

Rita Hart, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, said in a statement that the anniversary of the Roe decision was a "stark reminder to '"'vote in every election.'" And she criticized Republicans who have backed the Iowa ban.

"Unfortunately, Iowa Republicans have bent the knee to Kim Reynolds and Donald Trump’s MAGA agenda and are ready to discard our state constitution to make the fringes of their base happy," Hart said. "We all must continue our work to ensure that Iowa women have access to the reproductive healthcare they need, and put people over politics by protecting these critical rights we’d all held for fifty years before Dobbs."

Iowa's law, which prohibits nearly all abortions after cardiac activity is detected in an embryo at about six weeks of pregnancy, was temporarily blocked by a judge while it moves through the courts.

The state's high court accepted an appeal from Reynolds, and will hear arguments on the law before the end of their term, which runs through June 2024.

Galen Bacharier covers politics for the Register. Reach him at gbacharier@registermedia.com or (573) 219-7440, and follow him on Twitter @galenbacharier.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Gov. Reynolds, on anniversary of Roe v. Wade, touts Iowa's abortion ban