After yearlong fight, a near-total abortion ban is going into effect in Indiana

A near-total ban on abortions in Indiana is scheduled to take effect today following a yearlong legal battle, restricting access to the procedure in the state and affecting nearby regions.

The new law: The law prohibits abortions at any point during pregnancy except if the woman’s life or health is seriously at risk, with early exceptions for cases of “lethal fetal anomaly,” rape, or incest.
* Abortion providers lodged a last-minute legal appeal with the Indiana Supreme Court on Monday, which could potentially delay the law’s enforcement.
* However, the Court is expected to reaffirm its original decision, issued June 30, which backed the law.

Community reactions: Criticism comes from various corners including Councilor Ali Brown who called the ban “disgusting and reprehensible.”
* Savannah Trebuna, of the Kentucky Health Justice Network, notes that such bans ripple out affecting not just locals but those from nearby states who used Indiana as an abortion access point.

The journey to the ban: Indiana legislators approved the law shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
* The law was briefly active in September last year, but was put on hold while legal arguments over its constitutionality took place.
* With the state’s highest Court’s ruling, Indiana’s six remaining clinics are prohibited from offering abortions.

The wider context: No total ban will come into effect until March 14, 2025.
* One-fifth of Indiana’s abortion patients in the last year were from other states.
* Alison Dreith of the Midwest Access Coalition highlights the additional pressure bans like Indiana’s put on the abortion safety net, particularly for patients from the South and Midwest regions.

On a hopeful note: Tamarra Wieder, the Kentucky state director of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates affirms their continued support for people in Kentucky and Indiana who need to figure out where they can get a legal abortion.

View original article on NPR

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