Southern Indiana legislators mostly mum on abortion ban proposal

Jul. 23—SOUTHERN INDIANA — Next week will be a pivotal week in Indiana as state lawmakers consider whether to ban most abortions with limited exceptions.

On Wednesday, Republicans with the Indiana Senate proposed Senate Bill 1, which would ban abortion except for cases of rape and incest or when needed to save the pregnant person's life.

The legislation will be considered during a special legislative session

State lawmakers in Southern Indiana are not saying much about their thoughts on the proposed abortion legislation, and many did not respond to the News and Tribune's request for comment.

State Sen. Kevin Boehnlein, R-Greenville, provided the News and Tribune with a statement about legislation he authored as part of Senate Bill 2, which will also be considered next week. However, he did not respond to the News and Tribune's request to clarify his thoughts on the abortion ban itself.

Boehnlein has previously emphasized his anti-abortion stance, according to previous reporting by the News and Tribune.

In addition to the proposed abortion ban, Republican leaders announced legislation related to issues such as adoption. One piece includes a $10,000 adoption credit for Indiana families. According to Boehnlein, the legislation would increase the adoption credit "ten-fold from $1,000."

"Coupled with the federal program, the credit will go a long way to help subsidize the costs of adoptions," he said.

The legislation also includes a $5,000 matching grant program for the Safe Haven Baby Box program. This will involve financial support for local fire departments to install baby boxes, which are secure boxes that allows newborn babies to be safely surrendered.

"We must do all we can to lower the barrier to entry for those wishing to adopt, and create a safe place for at risk mothers to choose the life of their babies," Boehnlein said.

State Rep. Rita Fleming, D-Jeffersonville, did not specify whether she would support the abortion legislation, saying the bill as presented is "incomplete."

"We need to have more discussions," she said. "There's a lot of circumstances, a lot of possible outcomes and a lot of consequences all the way around for all involved. The bill in its present form doesn't even come close to addressing those."

"As an obstetrician and someone who care for more than 35 years for mothers and babies, I value life all throughout the lifespan, whether it be unborn babies or neglected children or abused spouses or significant others or the elderly," Fleming said.

She said lawmakers have to be "compassionate people," saying "we're not dealing with machinery, but we're dealing with real people in sometimes very challenging circumstances."

Fleming does not want lawmakers to take any actions that would criminalize or cause "undue hardship" for healthcare workers, including those who provide obstetric care, she said.

"We simply cannot criminalize doctors," she said. "We can't afford to lose them. We afford for them to practice so hesitantly that what needs to be done can't be done. So many roadblocks put in front of them and delays may cause very bad outcomes."

Republican Senate leaders have stated that there would not be any new criminal penalties against doctors who perform abortions, but physicians could potentially lose their medical licenses.

Fleming describes herself as an advocate for expanded access to birth control. In recent years, she has authored legislation aimed at making it easier for women to obtain contraception, but the bills have not made it out of committee.

She describes access to birth control as "something concrete we could have done to decrease abortion rates."

State Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, was "unavailable to comment at this time," according to his spokesperson. State Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, did not respond to the News and Tribune's request for comment as of publication time.

The News and Tribune also reached out to other state representatives in Southern Indiana, including Republicans Ed Clere, Karen Engleman and Zach Payne but did not receive a response as of publication time.

Mike Fichter, president of Indiana Right to Life, released a statement this week saying the proposed legislation doesn't go far enough, saying it doesn't have "any meaningful enforcement provisions."

"This bill goes through the motions on paper, but lacks any teeth to actually reduce abortions in Indiana by holding those who perform abortions or would intentionally skirt the law accountable with criminal consequences," Fichter said in a statement.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Indiana released a letter titled "Don't Ban Equality" criticizing Republican's proposed abortion restrictions. The letter was signed by more than 200 Indiana businesses.

ACLU is organizing a Monday "Bans Off Indiana" rally at the Indiana Statehouse to "demand state lawmakers keep abortion safe, legal and accessible in Indiana."

"Bans on equality put our families, communities, businesses and the economy at risk," the letter states. "We, the undersigned, employ Hoosiers across the state of Indiana and stand against policies that hinder people's health, independence, and ability to fully succeed in the workplace."