May 1, 2024
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Leaders of Indiana’s Senate on Wednesday proposed banning abortion with limited exceptions.
The proposal will be taken up during a special legislative session that is scheduled to begin Monday, making Indiana one of the first states to debate tighter abortion laws following the U.S. Supreme Court decision last month overturning Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court ruling is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
The Indiana proposal would allow exceptions to the ban, such as in cases of rape, incest, or to protect a woman’s life.
Republican state Sen. Sue Glick, who is sponsoring the bill, said the proposal would not limit access to emergency contraception known as the morning-after pill or limit doctors from treating miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies.
The bill would prohibit abortions from the time an egg is implanted in a woman's uterus.
“Being pro-life is not about criminalizing women,” Glick said. “It’s about preserving the dignity of life and helping mothers bring new happy, healthy babies into the world.”
The proposal unveiled Wednesday faces at least a couple of weeks of debate. Republican House Speaker Todd Huston didn't endorse the bill, saying in a statement, “Our caucus will take time to review and consider the details of the Senate bill, and continue to listen to thoughts and input from constituents across the state.”
Current Indiana law generally prohibits abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy and tightly restricts them after the 13th week. Nearly 99% of abortions in the state last year took place at 13 weeks or earlier, according to a state Health Department report.
Before Indiana lawmakers announced their proposal, the leader of the state’s most prominent pro-life group told reporters that the group would pressure legislators to advance a bill “that affirms the value of all life including unborn children” while not taking questions on whether any exceptions would be acceptable.
Indiana Right to Life President Mike Fichter said the vast majority of Indiana lawmakers have “campaigned as pro-life, they’ve run multiple election cycles as being pro-life.”
“This is not the time when legislators should be drafting legislation that would appear that Roe versus Wade is still in place,” Fichter said. “Roe is no longer in place. The Roe shield is no longer there.”
