Judge Temporarily Blocks Indiana Abortion Ban

Facts

• On Thurs., Owen County (Ind.) Judge Kelsey Hanlon sided with plaintiffs – abortion providers and one nonprofit – and temporarily blocked a near-total abortion ban that went into effect last week in the state.
• While the plaintiffs’ lawsuit continues, abortion will be allowed up to 20 weeks after fertilization or 22 weeks after the mother’s last menstrual period.
• The law, which bans abortion from the point of conception – except in cases when the mother's life and physical health need to be protected, a fetus is diagnosed with a lethal anomaly, or the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest – carries a penalty of up to six years in prison and a $10k fine for abortion providers who violate the regulation.
• Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill after it passed the Indiana House 62-38 and the Senate passed it 28-19.
• Holcomb also signed into law Senate Bill 2, which would see $45M distributed to several state agencies to support pregnancy health, pregnancy planning, and child care. It also allocates $5M for adoption tax credits.

Sources: CNN, Washington Post, NPR Online News, and Indy Star.

Narratives

• Democratic narrative, as provided by AlterNet. GOP extremist lawmakers should be ashamed of their blatant rolling back of rights that people are entitled to in a democracy. There was strong opposition by those who believe in a woman's right to choose, yet these calls were ignored. This is regressive and authoritarian.
• Republican narrative, as provided by Red State. Through the overturning of Roe v. Wade, SCOTUS has made it clear that states have the constitutional right to determine the legality of abortion and that's exactly what's happening in Indiana. The state has a responsibility to protect the unborn, and this bill will go a long way to doing this.

Predictions