Two Pro-Life Bills Pass Indiana Legislature

One bill would allow more healthcare workers to refuse to participate in abortion-related procedures, while the other would ban dismemberment abortions.

Indiana Statehouse

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Two abortion-related bills were passed by the Indiana Legislature this week and now await the signature of the governor.

The GOP-controlled Indiana Senate passed House Bill 1211 and an amended version of Senate Bill 201 along largely party-line votes.

Both bills were supported with votes from southeastern Indiana's all-Republican caucus of state representatives and senators: senators Chip Perfect (R-Lawrenceburg), Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond), and Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg), as well as representatives Randy Frye (R-Greensburg), Randy Lyness (R-West Harrison) and Cindy Ziemke (R-Batesville).

Under Senate Bill 201, pharmacists, nurses and physician assistants would be covered under Indiana’s expanded conscience-protection statute if they chose not to participate in a procedure which results in an abortion based on their religious or moral beliefs. For pharmacists, that would include filling prescriptions for abortion-inducing drugs.

State law already allows doctors, hospital employees and health clinic staffers to refuse participation in abortions.

Pro-life organization Indiana Right to Life president and CEO Mike Fichter says chemical abortions are on the rise in Indiana, perhaps leading to more healthcare workers becoming unwilling participants.

“All health care providers must be able to practice their profession in Indiana without helping to end a child’s life against their conscience. We urge Gov. Holcomb to sign this important pro-life bill,” said Fichter.

HB 1211 would largely ban a procedure commonly used in second trimester abortions. Doctors who perform a dilation and evacuation abortion, or dismemberment abortion, could be charged with a level 5 felony. The law makes exceptions for abortions performed to save the mother’s life or to “prevent serious health risks to the mother.”

Both pieces of legislation now head to the desk of Republican Governor Eric Holcomb, who could choose to sign them into law, let them become law without his signature, or veto them.

Democratic State Senator Jean Breaux (D-Indianapolis) wrote a letter in opposition to HB 1211, which she called unsafe.

“This is not about looking out for the emotional wellbeing of women, because the alternative to this procedure is an induction of labor, forcing a woman to go through the pain and exhaustion of labor to deliver what is a dead or dying fetus. That is forcing trauma on her, not protecting her emotional wellbeing,” she said.

Indiana Right to Life has called dismemberment abortions barbaric.

“We commend the Indiana legislature for passing the dismemberment abortion ban in order to protect children from this horrific procedure. By passing this law, Indiana is declaring the dignity of the unborn child. We thank the bill's leaders and we urge Gov. Holcomb to give this bill his signature,” said Fichter.

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