Indiana Pro-Life Bills Tackle Abortion From Different Angles

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 19, 2005   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Indiana Pro-Life Bills Tackle Abortion From Different Angles Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 19, 2005

Indianapolis, IN (LifeNews.com) — A slew of pro-life bills have been filed in the Indiana state legislature to address abortion from several different angles. Lawmakers have already given approval to some of the legislation.

One bill states that human beings can survive out of the womb at 20 weeks into the pregnancy. The age of viability, thanks to medical advancements, continues to be pushed back further than where it was at during the time of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.

The Public Policy and Veterans Affairs Committee, approved the bill on a 9-3 vote on Wednesday and it now heads to the full state House for consideration.

The viability legislation also mandates annual inspections for abortion businesses by the state health department.

The bill requires licensing for abortion facilities that is similar to laws in 35 other states and would apply to those businesses that perform at least four first-trimester abortions per month.

"This is to provide for the public health of women," the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Cindy Noe, R-Indianapolis, told the Star newspaper.

Abortion advocates oppose the bill, which sets a deadline of March 1 for obtaining the licenses. They say some abortion businesses may be forced to close if they can’t get them in time.

Jennifer Vanderstar of Porter County Right to Life says her group supports House Bill 1607.

"Abortion clinics do not want to see this bill pass committee for obvious reasons; they would be held to a certain standard of medical care, no more back seat ambulatory service for botched abortions, no more medical waste (blood, etc.) poured down sink drains," Vanderstar explained.

Other bills include:

* Senate Bill 76 would require that an abortion business show a woman considering an abortion an ultrasound of her unborn child. When that is done at a pregnancy center, 90% of women decide against having an abortion. A Senate committee has approved the bill and it now heads to the full Senate.

* Senate Bill 393 would require abortion facilities to develop better health standards.

* Senate Bill 568 would make abortion businesses "outpatient surgical centers," which would require them to make safety upgrades to their buildings that has put some out of business in other states.

* House Bill 1675 requires abortion practitioners to tell women considering an abortion that it will cause their unborn child severe pain.

* Senate Bill 48 would allow pharmacists to opt out of dispensing drugs that cause abortions and allow health care workers to refuse to participate in abortions.

* Senate Bill 166 would require public schools to incorporate fetal development and abortion risk info into their curriculum.

Related web sites:
Indiana Right to Life – https://www.indianalife.org