Indiana Gov. Mike Pence Signs Bill Saying Aborted Babies May be Buried or Cremated

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Aug 10, 2015   |   4:42PM   |   Indianapolis, IN

After national controversy surrounding the Planned Parenthood abortion businesses’ sale of aborted babies and aborted baby body parts, Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed into law a new measure providing that aborted babies may be buried or cremated.

The new law would help stop the kind of sale of aborted babies and their body parts that Planned Parenthood facilities in other states have been caught arranging. Although Roe v. Wade prohibits states from banning abortions, pro-life advocates in Indiana believe the aborted baby ought to at least be treated respectfully even if the abortion clinic treated the baby with disrespect before the abortion.

The aborted fetal remains bill (SEA 329), establishes rules as to how abortion facilities must dispose of aborted babies and allows the pregnant woman to choose a different method at her own expense (i.e. burial). As testimony revealed, the Indianapolis Planned Parenthood facility was disposing of aborted babies down a drain into the sewer system, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) implemented emergency disposal rules on July 1.

Pence today ceremonially signed a measure authored by State Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne) ensuring all health-care facilities, including abortion clinics, appropriately dispose of the bodies of babies killed in abortions.

SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must De-Fund Planned Parenthood Immediately

The law also provides women who have an abortion the same option as those who have a miscarriage when deciding to either bury or cremate their baby.

“This law creates rules for how to appropriately dispose of aborted fetal remains,” Brown said. “Establishing standards brings respect to the woman, abortion staff and the aborted child. These standards require the facility to dispose of the baby’s remains properly, unless the woman chooses to bury her baby. Hoosiers want their government to ensure the bodies of aborted babies are treated with dignity and this law accomplishes that.”

“We’re thankful for Gov. Pence’s commitment to the pro-life cause and for the legislators who boldly passed these bills,” said Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life. “The aborted remains bill is especially timely, as Americans pause to consider what becomes of the tiny lives ended in abortion procedures. We believe the aborted remains bill provides dignity to the babies, their mothers and the abortion facility staff.

Following the shocking revelations of Planned Parenthood selling aborted babies, Pence launched a state investigation.

Pence today directed the Indiana State Department of Health to investigate Planned Parenthood facilities in Indiana in cooperation with the Office of the Indiana Attorney General to ensure compliance with the law. He also wrote to the Indiana Congressional Delegation regarding the recent video referencing Planned Parenthood’s alleged trafficking of aborted fetal tissue.  He copied the U.S. Attorneys in the Northern and Southern Districts and county prosecutors in Marion, Monroe, Tippecanoe, and Lake counties, counties in which Planned Parenthood performs abortions.

SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must Investigate Planned Parenthood for Selling Aborted Baby Parts

“Every Hoosier should be deeply troubled by allegations that Planned Parenthood affiliates are engaged in the trafficking of human remains. If true, this is not only illegal, it is morally reprehensible. Under federal and state law, the buying or selling of human body parts is a felony and, as Governor, I have an obligation to make sure this is not happening in Indiana,” Pence said.

According to the statement LifeNews received, Pence continued: “For this reason, I have directed the Indiana State Department of Health to conduct an immediate investigation with the cooperation of the Office of the Attorney General of Indiana to determine whether Planned Parenthood affiliates in Indiana have engaged in any illegal activities with respect to the trafficking in or disposition of fetal tissue. Whatever one’s view on the issue of abortion, Hoosiers can be assured that we will make certain that this appalling practice is not taking place in Indiana.”

The most recent Planned Parenthood expose’ video, which follows Senate Democrats defeating a bill to de-fund Planned Parenthood, makes it appear the Planned Parenthood abortion business may be selling the “fully intact” bodies of unborn babies purposefully born alive and left to die.

As LifeNews reported, the first video of undercover footage shows Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Senior Director of Medical Services, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, describing how Planned Parenthood sells the body parts of aborted unborn children and admitting she uses partial-birth abortions to supply intact body parts.

In the second video, Planned Parenthood doctor Mary Gatter discusses the pricing of aborted baby body parts — telling the biotech company officials that the prices for such things as a baby’s liver, head or heart are negotiable. She also tells the officials that she could talk with the Planned Parenthood abortion practitioners to potentially alter the abortion procedure to kill the baby in a way that would best preserve those body parts after the unborn child is killed in the abortion.

So far, 12 states have responded to the Planned Parenthood videos and launched investigations into their abortion and organ harvesting business including South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Massachusetts, KansasMissouri, Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Georgia, Texas and Louisiana. The district attorney in Houston Texas is also investigating after the Houston-based Planned Parenthood abortion facility was caught selling aborted babies.

Congress has expanded its investigation into the Planned Parenthood abortion business and three states have revoked taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood’s abortion business, including Alabama, New Hampshire and Louisiana.

The full, unedited videos have confirmed that revelations that some aborted baby remains sold by Planned Parenthood go to biotech companies for the purpose of creating “humanized” mice. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood has been exposed as having sold body parts from aborted babies for as much as 15 years.

mikepence3