UPDATE (August 16, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – There is a chance Indiana’s new abortion law won’t take effect one month from now.
Planned Parenthood officials say they are reviewing their legal options before the new law kicks in, which means there could be a lawsuit. Indiana’s new abortion law requires that only hospitals perform abortions, which means Planned Parenthood’s clinics would have to close.
Planned Parenthood’s Rebecca Gibron says the clinics do more than provide abortions, so she imagines they will continue to operate. Indiana lawmakers approved a new law that bans most abortions in the state earlier this month.
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UPDATE (August 8, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Indiana is now the first state in the U.S. to have legislators approve an abortion ban after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in late June.
The ban takes effect on September 15th. Under the new legislation
approved Friday, abortions can only be performed at hospitals or outpatient centers in cases of rape and incest within ten weeks.
Other exceptions include protecting the life and physical health of the mother or if a fetus is diagnosed with a deadly anomaly.
The reaction to Indiana’s new abortion law came almost as soon as Governor Holcomb signed on the bottom line.
Just hours after the governor signed the law into place on Saturday, Eli Lilly issued a statement saying it will ‘be forced’ to plan for more jobs outside of the state.
Lilly said restrictions on abortions will hinder the company’s ability to attract top talent.
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UPDATE (August 5, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) -The Indiana House is set to vote on a near total ban of abortion today.
This comes after 86 proposed amendments were discussed on the House floor Thursday.
House Republicans tried to remove exceptions for rape and incest from the legislation, but the vote failed 39 to 61. All Democrats and some Republicans voted “no.”
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UPDATE (August 2, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Indiana’s proposed abortion law is far from certain. Republicans in the Indiana House changed the proposal yesterday.
Lawmakers added protections for the health of a mother, dropped a provision that would have allowed the state’s attorney general to prosecute abortion cases, and changed the time limit for women who are claiming rape or incest to a ten-week abortion window.
If the changes are approved, the plan would have to go back to the Indiana Senate for a second vote before it could be sent to the governor.
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UPDATE (August 2, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – It’s a debate between the ‘perfect and the good’ in the Indiana House for the GOP.
Republican lawmakers are split over the exemptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother in Indiana’s proposed new abortion ban.
Some in the GOP don’t want any exemptions, while others say they’d rather have a new law that bans most abortions than fail to pass anything because of a disagreement.
The House is considering the new law this week and taking public comment this week.
The Indiana Senate okayed it over the weekend.
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UPDATE (August 1, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Indiana senators will take a couple of days off from the statehouse and this special session.
They narrowly passed a highly restrictive abortion ban. The Republican-dominated senate was able to pass it with the lowest number of votes required to send it to the House.
The bill would prohibit abortions from the time an egg implants in the uterus. There are some exceptions for rape and incest, but the patient would have to sign a notarized affidavit confirming the attack. Dr. Roberto Darroca who testified against the bill, says forcing a victim to wait for legal counsel or making them sign an affidavit will only put women in more danger.
However, many Republicans think the bill wasn’t restrictive enough, and ten senators changed to vote against the legislation when exemptions for rape and incest were added.
Meanwhile, abortion protesters in Indiana are not giving up. The large crowd of pro-abortion protesters who filled the Capitol last week say they will be back this week to try and stop lawmakers from passing new restrictions on abortion.
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UPDATE (July 29, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Some Indiana Republicans now need to decide what they are going to do about the state’s proposed abortion law.
On Thursday, the Senate voted down a request from 18 Republicans to erase exemptions for rape and incest.
The full Indiana Senate is expected to vote on a near total ban on abortions this weekend.
The measure includes exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or substantial risk to the mother’s health. On Thursday, a proposed amendment aimed to get rid of the rape and incest exceptions, but it was voted down after two hours of debate.
One change that was approved – the Indiana attorney general would be able to prosecute violations to the ban when a county prosecutor chooses not to.
The 18 Republicans who wouldn’t vote for the rape and incest exemptions said any exceptions will allow for more abortions in the state. They now have to decide if they will accept a plan that activists have called weak, or if they will agree to the plan as-is.
If the Republicans balk, the new abortion proposal would likely be dead, and abortion would remain legal in Indiana.
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UPDATE (July 28 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – The full Indiana Senate will meet today to consider amendments to a proposed abortion ban. On Wednesday, Democrats proposed changes to the bill – asking for a religious exception to the abortion ban and for the mother’s life to be taken into stronger consideration.
The minority committee report also suggested an increase to the limit for the rape and incest exception- permitting abortions up to 20 weeks in those cases. The report was tabled by Republicans, preventing it from being discussed on the Senate floor Wednesday.
Lawmakers need to complete their work by August 14th, when the special legislative session comes to an end.
Read more here
UPDATE (July 27, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Republican lawmakers are moving quickly toward a vote on Indiana’s new abortion law. On Tuesday, a Senate panel approved changes that would narrow the time a girl or woman could access such health care.
Several amendments were added to Senate Bill 1, including allowing girls under the age of 16 to get abortions in the case of rape or incest for up to 12 weeks, and allowing girls and women over age 16 to get abortions in the case of rape and incest up to 8 weeks of pregnancy. Those girls and women would need to sign an affidavit for their medical file. The proposed measure now moves to the full Senate, where more amendments are expected.
Under another amendment, a doctor could be charged criminally for performing an abortion outside of the limits.
Leader Senator Eddie Melton (D-Gary) represents Indiana Senate District 3. He released the following statement:
“After the public testimony we received, there’s no reason the proposed abortion ban bill should have passed out of committtee. This goes against Hoosier wishes and against the expert opinion of doctors. We listen to lawyers for legal advice, we should listen to doctors for medical advice, and this legislation contradicts what medical professionals have advised. Senate Bill 1 will strip women of important healthcare access and make it harder for underserved communities to tap into that care. The passage of this bill gravely disappoints me, but I will continue fighting for women and Hoosiers throughout this special session process with the hope of seeing this unpopular and unwanted proposal killed.
“I’m also disappointed that Senate Democratic amendments were, on the whole, rejected from even being heard. I had an amendment to offer a religious exemption for abortion for Hoosiers whose faith do not align with this policy. It’s the same exact thing that was supported by colleagues on the right during the vaccination discussing during COVID. My amendment should have been easy to accept—the fact that it wasn’t even heard deeply bothers me. My caucus will be offered our amendments again on second reading in front of the full Senate. I look forward to seeing how all my “pro-life” colleagues vote on our amendments on the floor.”
The full Indiana Senate will hear the proposal on Thursday.
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UPDATE (July 26, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Indiana Republicans are already moving to change the state’s new abortion proposal.
Lawmakers said there will likely be several changes to the proposed new law that would ban abortions except for cases of rape, incest, or to save a mother’s life.
One of those changes will likely put a time limit on all abortions in Indiana. Public input will continue Tuesday. Comments were given on Monday alongside groups of protesters that crowded the Statehouse inside and out.
Also on Monday, Vice President Kamla Harris was in Indiana for a discussion on women’s reproductive rights.
She ripped the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade after a ten-year-old girl had to travel over state lines to get an abortion.
Harris said the issue isn’t about religious beliefs, but rather that the government shouldn’t be able to make that decision for an individual. She called it “one of the most intimate and personal decisions” someone can make.
Indiana is the first state to convene a special session to discuss a potential law banning abortion. Harris said the proposed parameters don’t make sense because by the time a person realizes they’re pregnant, they already would be prohibited from receiving an abortion.
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UPDATE (July 22, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Hoosier lawmakers return to the Statehouse for a special legislative session on Monday.
They’re expected to discuss a near-total abortion ban proposed by Republican state senators.
The ACLU of Indiana says over 250 business owners and leaders have sent a letter to lawmakers asking them not to pass the measure.
Abortion access advocates are planning to rally inside the statehouse as lawmakers meet Monday morning.
Read more here
UPDATE (July 21, 2022):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – The only way women in Indiana could get an abortion under the state’s new proposed abortion law would be if they are raped or their life is in danger.
Republicans in the Indiana Senate unveiled the new legislation on Wednesday. It would ban all abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.
Senate President Rodric Bray says the goal of the new law is to ‘protect life.’
The legislation would not outlaw the morning after pill or many medical procedures for failed pregnancies.
Women who claim to need an abortion because of rape would not have to fill out a police report but would have to sign an affidavit.
Voting on the plan starts next week.
Read more on the measure here
Reactions from Indiana Democrats came in following the unveiling of the legislation on Wednesday (July 20).
State Senator Jean Breaux (D-Indianapolis) offered the following statement:
“The supermajority has accomplished the bare minimum by including exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother in their proposed legislation. However, this extreme legislation takes away a woman’s right to choose and fails to account for the complicated and personal medical decisions that happen during pregnancy. It is also absurd that this legislation will not be going to the Health Committee, which is clearly the most relevant committee for this legislation. ”
“Roe v. Wade was a settled law for nearly 50 years, a woman has the right to bodily autonomy and should have the freedom to make these decisions with her doctor, family and faith if she chooses. Today’s proposal will have a devastating impact on women, especially low-income and minority women who don’t have immediate access to healthcare. The Republican Supermajority should leave our current law in place and instead focus all of our attention on policies that will improve our maternal and infant mortality rates and support healthy moms and babies.”
Senate Democratic Leader Greg Taylor (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement:
“An abortion ban will result in women dying. Period. When pregnant women cannot access vital components of health care, they are at greater risk of having their pregnancy end in a fatality—especially if they already have existing health conditions or illnesses.
“It’s a shame that our Legislature is moving to take such a drastic step to restrict women’s health care access, especially when we know it’s against the advice of health care providers, the cries of women and the demands of Hoosiers.
“It’s also a shame that this bill is being sent to the Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee rather than Health and Provider Services where it belongs. This is a health issue—legislators who review health legislation and have more insight and understanding of health issues should be the first ones to deliberate this proposal. I also think it would have made more sense for this bill to go to the Health Committee where six of the members are women. There are no relevant committees that this bill could have gone to with fewer women than the Rules Committee.
“Everything from the language of the proposed bill to the legislative process surrounding it is cause for concern, and my caucus will be fighting with everything we’ve got for women and Hoosiers across the state. We also urge everyone to pay close attention to the actions of the so-called “pro-life” supermajority throughout this special session–this is when the supermajority will have to make it very clear whether they actually support life or just forced birth.”
Senate Minority Leader Greg Taylor represents Senate District 33 which includes portions of Wayne, Pike, Washington and Center townships in Marion County.
ORIGINAL STORY:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) -We’re finally going to see what is included in Indiana’s to-be abortion law.
Republicans in the State Senate will unveil their proposal later today.
The new law will restrict abortion in the state, but no one is saying just how restrictive it will be. Some Republicans have asked for a total ban on abortion in the state, while others are looking for exceptions and even some time for women to end their pregnancies.
Indiana lawmakers are due back at the Capitol next week to begin voting on the plan.
Read more here