Iowa
Iowa's ban on abortions after 6 weeks will go into effect next week
An Iowa law banning most abortions in the state will take effect Monday, roughly one year after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed it.
The law prohibits physicians from administering an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected — around six weeks into pregnancy, before most women even know they’re pregnant. It briefly took effect in July 2023, but a lower court temporarily blocked the ban just days later in response to a legal challenge brought by abortion providers and the American Civil Liberties Union.
The Iowa Supreme Court reversed that ruling last month, declaring the policy constitutional and clearing the way for it to go into effect.
A district court judge for Polk County said the law can be fully enforced starting July 29 at 8 a.m. CT, to allow time for medical providers to receive notice of the change.
The ACLU of Iowa tried earlier this month to petition the Iowa Supreme Court to rehear the case, but the court denied that request Monday.
Iowa’s new abortion law includes exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormalities that are “incompatible with life” and medical emergencies that endanger the life of a pregnant woman.
Previously, Iowa allowed abortions up to 20 weeks, meaning the vast majority of those seeking to terminate a pregnancy were able to do so. The new law puts Iowa among three other states that similarly ban abortion after around six weeks: Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Fourteen states have full abortion bans, and 22 (including Iowa) have some kind of abortion restriction.
Just two abortion clinics in Iowa offer in-person care: the Emma Goldman Clinic and a Planned Parenthood facility in Ames. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland — which represents its Iowa clinics — and the Emma Goldman Clinic were both plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the law.
Both organizations have said they’ll continue to provide abortions within the limits of state law, but most Iowa residents seeking abortions will have to go to other states. The closest options for Iowans would most likely be Illinois, Minnesota or Nebraska, though Nebraska restricts abortions after 12 weeks.
Ruth Richardson, president of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said the organization has been expanding abortion access in the region in anticipation of Iowa’s policy change. For example, she said, the clinic in Mankato, Minnesota, added medication abortion services; the St. Paul, Minnesota, clinic opened up more appointments; and the Omaha, Nebraska, location is extending its physical footprint to triple the number of patients it can accommodate.
“We are standing by ready to help patients receive access to care, even if that means traveling out of state,” Richardson said in a call with reporters last week.
The Emma Goldman Clinic said in a statement last month that it would also help those who can’t get abortions in Iowa seek care in other states.
According to an analysis from the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion access, the number of people who crossed state lines to obtain abortions has roughly doubled since 2020. The analysis largely attributes the trend to restrictions enacted after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Republican lawmakers in Iowa attempted in 2018 to enact legislation restricting abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, but a lower court permanently blocked that law in 2019, and the Iowa Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s ruling last year.
In a statement last month about the new law, Reynolds, a Republican, said Iowa voters had “spoken clearly through their elected representatives” and that the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision had “upheld the will of the people.”
Around 63% of respondents in a national Pew Research Center poll earlier this year said they thought abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
Fallon Gallagher contributed.
Former Iowa State center Audi Crooks has committed to Oklahoma State via the NCAA Transfer Portal. She has one season of eligibility remaining.
Crooks made 99 appearances and 95 starts during her three seasons at Iowa State. She averaged 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this past season, while shooting 64.9% from the field. Additionally, the 6-foot-3 star shot 1-11 from 3-point range.
Crooks played a leading role for the Cyclones from the moment she stepped on campus. She is a three-time All-Big 12 First-Team selection and two-time All-American. On April 2, Crooks announced her intention to enter the transfer portal.
“Cyclone Nation, thank you all for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day. I’ve met so many of you out in the community, and I will cherish all of the genuine connections that I’ve built during my time at Iowa State,” Crooks wrote. “Words cannot fully express how grateful I feel to have called this place home.
“I want to thank my teammates for their friendship and all the great memories. … I still believe the grass is greener where you water it, and I’ve done that here.”
Now, Audi Crooks will aim to thrive in her new environment. Oklahoma finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-10 overall record.
The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opened on April 6 and closes on April 20. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the women’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Five people were shot and injured at an Iowa City pedestrian mall near the University of Iowa campus overnight, police said Sunday. Students from the university were among the injured, according to school officials.
The Iowa City Police Department responded to a report of a large fight in the 100 Block of East College Street at 1:46 a.m. early Sunday, the department said in a news release. Arriving officers heard gunfire.
Multiple victims were hospitalized, police said. Police confirmed to CBS News that one person was in critical condition, while the other four victims are stable.
University of Iowa President Barb Wilson said in a statement that three students were among those shot. None of the victims has been publicly identified.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. Police said they are seeking information about five “persons of interest associated with this shooting.” The university also shared the request for information.
The pedestrian mall was closed for several hours and reopened Sunday afternoon.
Here are the candidates for High School on SI’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for April 13-18. Read through the nominees and cast your vote.
Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 26. The winner will be announced in the following week’s poll. Here are this week’s nominees:
Taylor Roose, Pella boys track and field
Roose competed in three events at the Norwalk Invitational, winning all three in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump.
Daxon Kiesau, Urbandale boys track and field
Kiesau swept the throwing events at the Norwalk Invitational, taking first place in the shot put and the discus.
Alex Burger, Southeast Valley boys track and field
Competing at home, Burger dominated, earning four gold medals. He won the 400-meter hurdles and the long jump while running on the winning 4×200-meter relay and shuttle hurdle relay.
Kolby Hodnefield, Clear Lake boys track and field
Hodenfield, a defending state champion, broke the meet, venue and school record in the 200 and the 400 at the Clear Lake Invitational. He added victories as part of the 4×100 and 4×400 relays. Both relays also set meet records.
Easton Moon, North Polk boys tennis
Moon has started off his senior season on the courts unbeaten, winning all four matches while dropping just one game in 44 played.
Ava Lohrbach, Gilbert girls golf
One of the top golfers in the state, Lohrbach has had a hot start, firing a 35 in her nine-hole debut and a 72 for her 18-hole opener.
Nathan Manske, Algona boys golf
An elite quarterback and basketball player, Manske is showing his golfing skills this spring, coming out with a state-low 30 in a nine-hole event.
Ella Hein, Tipton girls track and field
Hein set school records in the 400-meter run and long jump at the Tiger/Tigerette Relays while also locking in the Blue Standard and qualifying for the Drake Relays. She won the long jump (18-6) and was second in the 400.
Maeve Bowen-Burt, Iowa City High girls track and field
The sophomore helped the Little Hawks land three Drake Relays events on the last night of qualifying, advancing in the 400 hurdles, along with the sprint medley and 4×400 relays.
About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.
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