Indiana Senate Passes Near-Total Abortion Ban

The Indiana State Senate has voted in favor of making most abortions illegal.

During a special weekend session Saturday, the Indiana Senate passed a bill with a near-total ban on abortion.

The only exceptions to the rule will be cases where pregnancy was the result of rape or incest or situations where the mother’s life is threatened.

Currently, Indiana allows abortions for pregnant women up to 20 weeks but under the new rules, people will have to sign an affidavit stating “rape or incest” in case of termination of pregnancy.

The Gateway Pundit reports: The lawmakers voted 26-20 to pass the bill, known as SB-1, with no Democrat voting in favor, according to The Associated Press. With 10 Republicans joining Democrats in voting against, the bill passed the minimum threshold for sending it to the House, the AP reported.

The vote makes Indiana set to become one of the first states to impose fresh restrictions on abortion after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in late June, the AP reported.

According to the AP, should the bill be signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb, abortions would be illegal from the time of conception.

The only exceptions to the rule are cases of pregnancy through rape and incest or situations where the mother’s life is threatened, the news service reported.

In cases of rape and incest, meeting the exceptions would require patients to sign a notarized affidavit attesting to the circumstances, the AP reported.

Although the bill received support from most Republicans in the state Senate, some conservative lawmakers dissented.

Sen. Mike Young, a Republican who had introduced a failed amendment that would have ruled out exceptions in cases where abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother,  said he “voted against the bill not because he agrees with its opponents but because he has qualms with some aspects of the legislation he hopes are addressed,” the AP reported.

For instance, according to the AP, Young said the bill would allow doctors to perform abortions to save the life of the mother, but “doesn’t require the doctor to inform that woman that her life is in danger,” according to AP.

“She may never know the reasons why. I just think it’s important when a person makes the most important decision of their life they ought to know if their life is in danger, and what are the reasons why it’s in danger,” he said.

Prior to the vote, according to The Associated Press, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates Indiana member Nicole Erwin said she expected it to pass because pro-life groups have been “waiting for this moment for far too long.”