WIBC: “Senate Republicans have narrowed a rape and incest exception in a proposed abortion ban”
NWI Times: “It’s expected many of the proposed ‘second reading’ amendments will be filed by Republican senators seeking to eliminate all abortion exceptions, except possibly when the life of the mother is at stake.”
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today criticized the Indiana Republican Party for buckling to the demands of extremist organizations (Right to Life) who solely want to force birth on women and children – even if they experienced rape and incest. The GOP Senate yesterday passed an amendment to Senate Bill 1 (SB1) that adds additional restrictions to sexual assault survivors – even children – who wish to obtain a legal and safe abortion. Should this bill become law, it would endanger lives across Indiana. But, the worst isn’t over.
The Indiana Senate is expected to vote on amendments that aim to meet Right to Life’s national model.
It’s without a doubt: the Indiana Republican Party is poised to side with just 17-percent of Hoosiers who want a total abortion ban. They would rather pursue an extremist agenda than fix the F-rated quality of life or the state’s horrendous maternal mortality rate – which ranks third-worst in the nation. There is an opportunity to create a better future for Hoosier families, but it’s become clear the Indiana GOP simply do not want to meet that challenge.
Here’s the influence extremist organizations like Right to Life are having on the Indiana GOP:
Indiana Capital Chronicle: “Speaking on behalf of Indiana Right to Life, Courtney Millbank called the Senate bill “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” She argued the bill severely lacks criminal penalties for abortion providers who break the law.” […]
“(This bill) is certain to result in abortion-on-demand in Indiana,” said Millbank, an attorney for Indiana lawyer Jim Bopp, who authored the state’s model legislation in advance of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.” […]
“Bray said more amendments to the abortion-restricting bill are expected to be proposed by state senators this week, including some that could address issues raised during Tuesday’s testimony.”
NWI Times: “Messmer said he voted “no” because every anti-abortion advocate who spoke about the plan, including hundreds of blue-shirted Hoosiers rallying against the proposal Tuesday in the Statehouse’s north atrium, deemed it inadequate for eliminating abortion in Indiana.”
“Meanwhile, anti-abortion Hoosiers alternately begged and demanded GOP state lawmakers follow through on their pledges to ban abortion in Indiana, now that they’ve been given the green-light by the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson ruling.”
“It’s expected many of the proposed “second reading” amendments will be filed by Republican senators seeking to eliminate all abortion exceptions, except possibly when the life of the mother is at stake.”
IndyStar: “An Indiana Senate committee voted to add criminal penalties to the bill that would ban most abortions, after severe backlash to the bill from anti-abortion groups who thought it didn’t go far enough to restrict abortion.”
Associated Press: “…the group’s president, Mike Fichter, warned that conservative lawmakers need to act or explain themselves to voters in November.”
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