INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana's near-total abortion ban is now in effect after the Indiana General Assembly passed the legislation during a special session over the summer and Gov. Eric Holcomb signed it into law.
Indiana was the first state in the nation to pass new legislation restricting abortion access since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision.
The Senate passed the bill with a 28-19 vote and the House passed the bill with a 62- 38 vote.
Because the law is now in effect, abortions can only be performed in hospitals or outpatient centers owned by hospitals.
Abortions are only permitted in cases of rape and incest before 10 weeks post-fertilization and to protect the mother's life and physical health. It also allows them if the fetus is diagnosed with a lethal anomaly. The ban will replace state laws that generally prohibited abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy and tightly restricted it after the 13th week.
A doctor could lose their medical license if they perform an illegal abortion or failed to file required reports.
Several organizations and abortion clinic operators filed a lawsuit last month seeking to block the law from taking effect. It won't be heard by a judge until next week
PREVIOUS | Indiana court hearing set after abortion ban takes effect
Another lawsuit was filed in September by the American Civil Liberties Union claiming the law violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Indiana abortion clinic operators have told The Associated Press that they'll stop offering abortions when the ban takes effect but continue to support patients with information about out-of-state clinics. Planned Parenthood plans to keep its four Indiana clinics that offer abortions open and provide sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, and contraception and cancer screenings, which it says comprise the bulk of its services.
Indiana University Health, the state’s largest hospital system, has set up advisory teams that include a lawyer for consultations on whether patients meet the legal requirements for abortions. Indiana hospitals performed 133 of the 8,414 abortions reported to the state Department of Health in 2021, with the remaining 98% taking place at clinics.
When the law starts being enforced on Thursday, Indiana will join more than a dozen states with abortion bans, though most were approved before that Supreme Court ruling and took effect once the court threw out the constitutional right to end a pregnancy.
West Virginia legislators approved an abortion ban on Tuesday and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina introduced a bill that would ban abortion nationwide after the 15th week of pregnancy, with rare exceptions, intensifying the ongoing debate inside and outside of the GOP though the proposal has almost no chance of becoming law in the Democratic-held Congress.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
-
Dominated by No.2 Ohio State for years, No. 5 Indiana has a chance for payback
If Indiana beats Ohio State and closes out the season with a win over Purdue, the Hoosiers will be in the Big Ten championship for the first time since the inception of the game in 2011.
Preparing for the political chatter around the table on Thanksgiving
IU psychology professor Edward Hirt offers insight on navigating through this first big family get-together, since an historic and polarizing election.
No. 16 Indiana remains unbeaten with 69-58 win over UNC Greensboro
Myles Rice scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half, freshman Bryson Tucker finished with a season-high 14 and No. 16 Indiana got past UNC Greensboro 69-58 on Thursday night.
I have a frozen Thanksgiving turkey. When should I thaw it?
Do you have a large Thanksgiving turkey in your freezer taking up space? Learn when you should move it to the fridge.
