By TONY BRUNENKANT
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
The Indiana Senate has passed Senate Bill 1, a near total ban on abortion, 26-20.
The bill would prohibit abortion at any stage of a woman’s pregnancy other than in cases of fatal fetal abnormalities or to save the life of the mother. Victims of rape or incest who become pregnant would be able to get an abortion up to 12 weeks into their pregnancy if they are under age 16, or 8 weeks if they are 16 or older.
The vote deeply divided the Republican caucus, with 10 Republicans joining Democrats in voting against the bill for a variety of reasons. Some, like Sens. Kyle Walker, R-Lawrence, and Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, said the bill went too far. Walker said he would prefer allowing abortions for any reason until the end of the first trimester, while Becker called the bill a betrayal of Republicans’ traditional commitment to limited government. Others, such as Sens. Michael Young, R-Indianapolis, and Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, objected to the bill’s inclusion of any exception for rape or incest.
On the Democratic side, Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, told her own story of an unplanned pregnancy when she was 34. Then, as now, Indiana law allowed for abortion up to the 20th week of pregnancy. Yoder said she made and canceled multiple abortion appointments during that time before ultimately deciding to keep the baby.
“Knowing how difficult, how wrenching it was, how much sleep I lost over it, I would never take that decision away from someone else, or restrict the time they took to make it,” said Yoder.
For her part, bill author Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, urged her colleagues to support the bill even if it wasn’t their ideal solution.
“If we do nothing, if we vote this bill down, the present law in Indiana allows abortions without exception for 20 weeks. I ask you to protect those lives,” Yoder added.
The measure now heads to the House.
Ford
“I am deeply disappointed that the majority chose to pass Senate Bill (SB) 1. They chose to listen to a special interest group over everyday Hoosiers, who adamantly oppose this cruel bill. The ramifications of this legislation for women are endless, even deadly. That’s not hyperbole—in a state with the 3rd highest maternal mortality rate in the nation, this ban will kill women. The majority are not ending abortions, only safe ones. I firmly believe that abortion care is healthcare and this bill denies a woman bodily autonomy and her right to make her own healthcare decisions.
“Furthermore, our healthcare providers, who we lauded as heroes during the height of the pandemic, are now at risk of criminal penalties. Survivors of sexual violence and incest will be required, during one of the most traumatic times of their life, to give a notarized affidavit which will only complicate this tough situation and create more hoops to jump through.
“During testimony, we heard many faith leaders—Christian and non-Christian—speak in adamant opposition to this bill. SB 1 undermines the many religions in Indiana that have diverse thoughts and beliefs on the subject of life and abortion. No one religion should trump another under law.
“Finally, not one Hoosier genuinely testified in favor of the bill. The people of Indiana are against SB 1 and we should have scrapped the bill in the Senate. Unfortunately, we did not, and I encourage Hoosiers to reach out to their State Representative and the Governor’s office to make your voice heard. I sincerely hope the bill dies in the House.”
– State Senator JD Ford, D-Indianapolis
Qaddoura
“I am deeply disappointed that the Republicans have taken Indiana back to the 1960s by depriving women of the right to make science-based decisions with their physicians and faith leaders if they so choose. This extreme legislation will harm expecting mothers and their babies, criminalize healthcare providers, and enforce a narrow religious view on all Hoosiers regardless of their faith or non-faith affiliation.
“I will continue to champion individual liberties, freedom, religious freedom, and oppose extreme anti-family legislation.
“The political infighting between Statehouse Republicans is holding Indiana back. This extreme legislation is opposed by the overwhelming majority of Hoosiers, including Republicans. Indiana can’t afford reluctant or partisan leadership that places political or monetary considerations above the interests of Hoosier women.”
– State Senator Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis
“As the largest healthcare provider and only academic health center in the state, IU Health’s priority remains to ensure our physicians and patients have clarity when making decisions about pregnancy, including the ability to address not only life-saving interventions, but also to intercede when a pregnant woman’s health is at risk and to make sure our providers are not criminalized when doing so. The bill’s restrictions on a physician’s ability to do what is medically proven and appropriate for the health and life of a pregnant patient, plus the threat of criminalization, impact our ability to provide safe and effective patient care and could deter physicians seeking to live and practice healthcare in Indiana.”
– Statement from IU Health, the largest healthcare provider in Indiana
“Serious issues remain with SB1, including loopholes that will allow most abortions to continue in Indiana, and even a rollback on some protections that currently exist for the unborn. We are hopeful these concerns will be fixed in the House and that SB1 will become a bill we can support. As it stands today, we remain opposed to SB1.”
– Mike Fichter, Indiana Right to Life President & CEO