Planned Parenthood Sues to Overturn Law Banning Abortions on Babies With Down Syndrome

State   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Apr 7, 2016   |   11:47AM   |   Indianapolis, IN

Planned Parenthood is so predictable. This week, the abortion business sued the state of Indiana in its latest attempt to stop a protective pro-life law from taking effect.

The new law, signed by Gov. Mike Pence in March, bans abortion doctors from knowingly aborting an unborn baby solely because of a genetic disability such as Down syndrome, the unborn baby’s race or sex. The bill also has several other abortion-related measures, including a requirement that aborted or miscarried babies’ bodies be cremated or buried and another requirement that abortionists who have hospital admitting privileges renew them annually.

The abortion business failed to convince the general public to oppose the regulations, so now it hopes to convince a court. In the lawsuit, Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky claims the restrictions are unconstitutional because they infringe on a woman’s “right” to a first-trimester abortion, according to the Indy Star.

Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life, told LifeNews he was not surprised by the lawsuit.

“This is the same song and dance we have seen from the abortion provider anytime they feel their lucrative abortion business is threatened,” Fichter said. “They look to the courts and activist judges to rule in their favor. Planned Parenthood boasts $2 million a year in abortion revenue in Indiana alone. They oppose any common sense law that protects women and children because they want to protect their bottom line.”

Here is more from the news report:

Planned Parenthood also takes issue with the part of the law mandating that abortion providers cremate or bury fetal remains. The same costly requirement doesn’t exist for disposing of other medical materials, the lawsuit said.

The legal move was highly anticipated, given the heated debate over whether the abortion law could withstand a court challenge. The lawsuit asks the court to declare the abortion law unconstitutional and issue an injunction to prevent the law from being enforced.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Planned Parenthood affiliate. The lawsuit was also brought by Dr. Marshall Levine, a doctor contracted by Planned Parenthood to perform abortions, and Shauna Sidhom, a nurse practitioner who works for Planned Parenthood.

Under the new law, medical professionals such as Levine and Sidhom could be prosecuted, face civil lawsuits or lose their licenses for performing abortions sought because of a prenatal diagnosis of disability.

Planned Parenthood doesn’t ask patients why they’re seeking abortions, the lawsuit said, but the new law requires health care providers to report to the state whether fetuses had been diagnosed with disabilities. Because of that, Planned Parenthood argues that doctors and nurses will learn about a diagnosis before an abortion, putting them at risk to be punished.

Fichter said the lawsuit shows how extreme abortion activists really are.

“The Dignity for the Unborn law protects the most vulnerable among – the unborn targeted for abortion because of their gender, race or a potential disability,” Fichter said. “It calls for respectful disposal of aborted human remains. Hoosiers believe all lives have value and Planned Parenthood’s opposition to this law just shows how extreme on abortion they truly are.”

While the bill was being debated in the legislature, state Sen. Liz Brown said many families face pressure to abort from doctors or other health care professionals when their babies are diagnosed with an illness or disability in the womb. LifeNews has documented numerous cases of families saying the same thing.

“What we hear from doctors is — it would really be better off if you were not born,” Brown said. “If you are born, we will love you, and we think you have equal rights and should be a member of society. In fact, we have the Americans with Disabilities Act and have to make accommodations. But we don’t want to make the accommodation before you’re born, and in fact, it would really be easier if you were not born.”

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During the state House debate, state Rep. Casey Cox, R-Fort Wayne, said the law will give the most vulnerable a chance at life.

“Ours is a policy that values life no matter who you are, where you come from or what your disability might be,” Cox said.

According to the local news report, Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma made an unexpected move when he also voted in support of the bill. Bosma reportedly does not often vote on bills; however, in this case, the Republican legislator said he wants to “protect the rights of the unborn.”

In 2013, North Dakota became the first state to pass a similar bill to protect unborn babies from abortions because of disabilities. A handful of states also ban abortions based solely on the baby’s sex.

ACTION: Thank Governor Pence for signing the law by going here.

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