The Republican-dominated state Senate approved the legislation 28-19 Friday in a vote that came hours after it passed the Indiana lower house. The bill, which will take effect on September 15, allows abortion only in cases of rape, incest, a fatal fetal abnormality or when the procedure is necessary to prevent serious health risks or death.
title: “Indiana Passed A Near Total Abortion Ban The First To Do So Since Roe " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-28” author: “Marti Holmes”
Comment Indiana became the first state in the country after his fall Roe v. Wade to pass sweeping limits on abortion access after Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed into law on Friday a bill that constitutes an almost complete ban on the procedure. The Republican-dominated state Senate approved the legislation 28-19 Friday in a vote that came hours after it passed the Indiana lower house. The bill, which will take effect on September 15, allows abortion only in cases of rape, incest, a fatal fetal abnormality or when the procedure is necessary to prevent serious health risks or death. Abortion rights advocates lined Indiana’s state corridors throughout the day as lawmakers voted, some holding signs that read “You can only ban safe abortions” and “Abortion is health care.” Moments after the vote, some protesters hugged and others stood stunned before the crowd erupted in chants of “We will not stop.” ‘Not her body, not her choice:’ Indiana lawmakers on abortion ban In a statement released after the bill was signed, Holcomb said he had “made it clear” after it fell Roe that he would be willing to support anti-abortion legislation. He also highlighted the law’s “carefully negotiated” exceptions, which he said address “some of the unimaginable circumstances that a woman or an unborn child might face.” Before settling on the exceptions, Republican lawmakers disagreed over how far the law should go, with some GOP members siding with Democrats in demanding that abortion be legal in cases of rape and incest. The vote followed days of citizen testimony and an at times heated debate. “Sir, I’m not a murderer,” Rep. Renee Pack (D) told the chamber after Rep. John Jacob (R), a staunch abortion opponent who wanted rape exemptions removed, described the procedure as murder. Abortions are now banned in these states. See where the laws have changed. Abortion rights groups were quick to rebuke Friday’s decision. Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said the vote “was tough and will prove devastating for pregnant women and their families in Indiana and across the region.” “The Hoosiers didn’t want that,” Johnson said. In a statement, the anti-abortion group Indiana Right to Life opposed the exemptions and said the new law did not go far enough in curtailing access to abortion. Indiana Republicans’ push to restrict access to abortion stands in stark contrast to their overwhelming support from voters in Kansas, where an attempt to repeal abortion protections was voted down this week in another traditionally conservative state. This victory is likely to boost the Democratic Party’s hope that the Supreme Court decision will strike Roe v. Wade will energize voters ahead of the midterm elections. In Indiana, Democratic lawmakers described the Kansas vote as a warning to their Republican colleagues to consider the potential fallout from voters. Kansan strongly rejects amendment aimed at limiting abortion rights Unlike many of its predominantly conservative Midwestern neighbors, Indiana did not have a “trigger law” on the books that would immediately ban abortion when Roe overturned. Because the procedure was legal in the state up to 22 weeks, Indiana became the destination for many trying to end their pregnancies. Cutting off this “critical access point” could force people to travel “hundreds of miles or carry pregnancies against their will,” the American Civil Liberties Union said. Most recently, a 10-year-old rape victim had to travel to Indianapolis for an abortion after she was denied an abortion in her home state of Ohio. The case sparked outrage among abortion rights advocates, drew criticism from President Biden and attracted international attention. The OB/GYN who provided the care, Dr. Caitlin Bernard, has faced threats and harassment. Her legal team is considering filing a defamation lawsuit against the Indiana attorney general, whose office is investigating the handling of the abortion case. Kim Bellware and Ellen Francis contributed to this report.
