Despite opposition from abortion rights and anti-abortion advocates, Indiana’s GOP-controlled Senate passed a bill Saturday which would ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy – from the time a fertilized egg implants in a uterus – with limited exceptions.
Following hours of debate and discussion, Indiana’s Senate Bill 1 passed the Senate by a 26 to 20 vote during the special session that the bill’s author, Republican Sen. Sue Glick, called a huge step forward in protecting the life of unborn children.
The 10 Democratic senators were joined by ten Republicans in opposing Senate Bill 1 and spoke out against the legislation before the vote was held.
Highlighting that only eight of the Senate’s 50 members are women, GOP Sen. Vaneta Becker said that women deserve to have the Senate protect their lives and free will and the proposed bill destroys both.
She stressed that lawmakers should be ashamed for even considering dictating medical decisions with blinders and for being ignorant of the astounding, unintended consequences they’re creating.
The bill will now move to the Indiana House, also controlled by Republicans for consideration and if it becomes law, it will go into effect on September 1.
The legislation allows exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and when the mother’s life is at risk but women seeking an abortion under the rape and incest exceptions would be required to sign a notarized affidavit attesting to the attack.
Pointing out that exceptions equal death for unborn innocent children, Republican Sen. Mike Young opposed having exceptions for rape and incest.
The current law in Indiana allows abortions up to 20 weeks after fertilization or 22 weeks after the mother’s last period.
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