Indiana Planned Parenthood Sues to Get Out of Abortion Clinic Inspections

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Aug 22, 2013   |   6:14PM   |   Indianapolis, IN

The Planned Parenthood abortion business has filed a lawsuit to get out of inspections involving abortion clinics that only sell the abortion drug mifepristone rather than do surgical abortions.

Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed Senate Bill 371 into law earlier this year. The bill introduces oversight into the chemical abortion industry by including chemical abortions in the definition of abortion in Indiana law. Currently, an abortion facility that performs only chemical-type abortions does not have be licensed or inspected.

SB 371 will require chemical abortion facilities to meet the same requirements as surgical abortion facilities in such areas as reporting standards, physician oversight, cleanliness standards and building accessibility.

Today, Planned Parenthood filed suit against the law:

The lawsuit suit filed against the Indiana State Department of Health and the Tippecanoe County prosecutor challenged amendments “that single out one health care center in Lafayette, Ind. for a host of unnecessary new regulations,” according to a statement issued by the ACLU of Indiana.

It was filed on behalf of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky.

“These legislative changes specifically targeting PPINK’s Lafayette health care center are not reasonably related to any legitimate purpose,” Ken Falk, ACLU of Indiana legal director, said in the statement.

“The laws irrationally and invidiously discriminate against PPINK and pose a significant and unnecessary burden that violates the Constitution’s guarantees of privacy, due process and equal protection.”

Indiana Right to Life President and CEO, Mike Fichter, emailed LifeNews about the lawsuit.

“Today’s lawsuit comes as no surprise because Planned Parenthood wants to protect its abortion business. It’s clear that Planned Parenthood sees any amount of common sense oversight as too much oversight. If Planned Parenthood truly cared about women’s health, they would desire all abortion facilities, even facilities they do not operate, to meet a basic standard.

“The state is well within its bounds on Senate Enrolled Act 371. If Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit advances to any court, we believe any judge will recognize the authority of the state to put this law into effect.”