What to know about Indiana's special session, abortion bill and how to participate

Indiana Senate Republican leadership proposed a bill Wednesday that would ban all abortions except in cases of rape, incest or where the life of the mother is in danger, a proposal that, if passed, would make Indiana one of the states with the greatest restrictions against abortion.

That bill,along with companion legislation to fund supports for pregnant women and familiesas well as economic relief proposals, will be debated by the Indiana General Assembly during their special legislative session that begins July 25.

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Here's what you need to know about the special session:

Why is Indiana having a special session?

Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a proclamation last month calling lawmakers back to the Statehouse for a special session. The session was set to start July 6, but lawmakers delayed their convening until July 25 in order to give themselves time to write bills dealing with abortion and economic issues.

In calling the session, Holcomb asked legislators to issue a taxpayer refund and send a collective $1 billion back to Hoosiers to combat inflation, but lawmakers are also using the session to pass new abortion restrictions.

On Wednesday, Senate Republicans unveiled three pieces of legislation they intend to pass during the session, which is expected to last two weeks. The session must end no later than August 14.

Senate Bill 1 would ban nearly all abortions in the state. A companion bill will create the Hoosier Families First Fund and appropriate $45 million to it to support programs that promote healthy mothers and babies, address barriers to birth control, increase access to childcare, benefit foster and adoptive care and meet the needs of low-income families with young children.

A third bill would address the economic issues sought by Holcomb, but not in the way that he wanted. Instead of issuing another taxpayer refund – in addition to the $125 refund the state is already in the process of sending to taxpayers – Senate Republicans are proposing to temporarily cap sales tax on gas and suspend for six months the sales tax on utility bills.

House Republicans have, so far, released draft legislation of only one bill. House Bill 1001 would include a $225 taxpayer refund and additional tax credits to support families. It would also remove state sales tax from children’s diapers.

Is Indiana banning abortion?

Senate Republicans unveiled a proposal Wednesday that would ban nearly all abortions in the state. The bill would only make exceptions to the prohibition on abortion in the case of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is in danger.

What is in Indiana’s abortion bill?

The bill proposed by Senate Republicans would issue a near-total ban on abortion. It allows for exceptions in the case of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is in danger. It also allows for abortion in the case of fatal fetal anomalies.

Those seeking an abortion due to rape or incest will not have to file a police report, but they will have to sign an affidavit confirming that is the reason they are seeking an abortion.

Senate leadership said the bill will not impact birth control, fertility treatments or treatment of miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies. It will also not impact the use of Plan B, known as “the morning-after pill,” because the bill defines pregnancy as beginning when a fetus implants in the uterus.

The proposal also does not criminalize those seeking an abortion, but doctors who perform abortions illegally could lose their license.

There are likely to be other abortion-related bills filed, but the bill unveiled Wednesday is the only one expected to move forward.

Are there exemptions to Indiana’s abortion bill?

The bill proposed by Senate Republicans includes exemptions in cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is in danger. It also allows for abortion in the case of fatal fetal anomalies.

How many other states have 0-week bans?

If the ban passes, Indiana will be one of eight states with an abortion ban at 0 weeks, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Unlike Indiana's proposal, however, most do not allow for exemptions for rape.

What else are lawmakers proposing?

Senate Republicans intend to move three bills during the special session.

Senate Bill 1 deals with abortion.

Senate Bill 2 would appropriate $45 million to establish the Hoosier Families First Fund. The money would be distributed to the state Department of Health, Family and Social Services Agency, Department of Child Services and Department of Homeland Security. These agencies could then use the funds to support a variety of resources for women and children, such as additional support to help the health of pregnant people, money for pregnancy planning and increased access to child care.

SB 2 would also increase Indiana’s adoption tax credit from $1,000 to $10,000, a move estimated to cost the state about $5 million.

The bill is seen as a companion to the abortion legislation, directing additional resources toward pregnant women and families and working to boost adoption rates in order to address the expected increase in live births.

Senate Bill 3 is Senate Republicans' proposal to provide economic relief to Hoosiers struggling with skyrocketing inflation. Rather than send cash back to taxpayers, as Holcomb proposed and House Republicans have said they support, SB 3 would use the state’s overflowing rainy day funds to pay down pension debt.

Relief for taxpayers would come in the form of a temporary cap sales tax on gas and six-month suspension of the sales tax on utility bills.

House Republicans have, so far, released draft legislation of only one bill. House Bill 1001 would include a $225 taxpayer refund and additional tax credits to support families. It would also remove state sales tax from children’s diapers.

What happens next?

Lawmakers will convene for the special session starting Monday.

The Senate will begin their session at 11 a.m. to introduce bills on first reading. Bills will be assigned to committee.

Public testimony will be taken during committee hearings, which begin Monday.

Senate bills are expected to be voted out of committee on Tuesday afternoon. The bills would be then up for amendment on Thursday with final debate and a vote on Friday. Any Senate bills passed by the chamber would then be sent to the House, to take up the following week.

The House is scheduled to come in at 10 a.m. Monday. There is a Ways and Means Committee hearing on the calendar for July 26, where the House’s taxpayer refund bill is set to be heard.

How can the public testify on the bills

Public testimony on Senate Bill 1, the abortion bill, will begin in the Senate’s Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee on Monday, July 25 at 1 p.m. It will last until 5 p.m. A second day of public testimony is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26 from 9 a.m. until noon.

According to the Indiana General Assembly’s website, members of the public who want to testify at the meeting should sign up prior to the start of committee, which can be done online or in person. The request to testify form will be available at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022ss1/committees/rules_and_legislative_procedure_4700 beginning at 12:01 a.m. July 25.

Those who submit the form online must check in at the desk outside the Senate Chamber upon arrival.

To sign up in person, members of the public may complete the request to testify form at the desk outside the Senate Chamber beginning at noon July 25.

Members of the public who want to testify on Tuesday should sign up prior to the start of committee, which can be done online or in person. The request to testify form will be available at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022ss1/committees/rules_and_legislative_procedure_4700 beginning at 12:01 a.m. July 26. Those who submit the form online must check in at the desk outside the Senate Chamber upon arrival. To sign up in person, members of the public may complete the request to testify form at the desk outside the Senate Chamber beginning at 8:00 a.m. July 26.

Public testimony on Senate bills 2 and 3 will be taken in Appropriations Committee on July 26, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Members of the public who want to testify at the should sign up prior to the start of committee, which can be done online or in person. The request to testify form will be available at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022ss1/committees/appropriations_3700 beginning at 12:01 a.m. July 26. Those who submit the form online must check in at the desk outside the Senate Chamber upon arrival. To sign up in person, members of the public may complete the request to testify form at the desk outside the Senate Chamber beginning at 1:00 p.m. July 26.

Call IndyStar education reporter Arika Herron at 317-201-5620 or email her at Arika.Herron@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter: @ArikaHerron.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What to know about Indiana's special session, abortion bill