Update on Indiana Abortion Ban

The Indiana Senate Republicans surprised everyone with a total ban on abortions except for rape, incest, or a threat to the life of the mother. See Indiana lawmakers propose abortion ban with narrow exceptions.

I find more interesting what looks like the compromise I see here:

Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, said the bill won’t impact treatment of miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, or fatal fetal anomalies. The procedure would be allowed in instances of rape, but only until 20 weeks of gestation, as outlined in current state law.

The bill would not limit access to the “morning after” pill or any forms of contraception. Current Indiana law makes it a felony for a doctor to perform an illegal abortion and under the bill most abortions would be illegal. There are no criminal penalties for women who seek abortions in the bill.

No chasing women who leave the state for abortions, no banning of contraceptives. We get to prove we are not Texas. I still wonder how the women of Indiana like having the General Assembly legislate their choices. I wonder if the legislators put too much faith in the efficacy of contraceptives.

Meanwhile, Businesses,  faith leaders react to abortion bill lays out how no one - activists, religious groups, businesses - like the proposal. I latched onto this one:

Mike Fichter, the Indiana Right to Life president and chief executive, called the bill “weak and troubling,” saying it fell “woefully short” of what he’d suggested.

“The bill fails substantively in many areas, but chiefly in its failure to provide any meaningful enforcement provisions,” Fichter said. “This bill goes through the motions on paper, but lacks any teeth to actually reduce abortions in Indiana.”

I suspect the politicians here know something Mr. Fichter does not: the people of Indiana are not as rabidly anti-abortion as he is. 

On one hand I hope never to see a headline like this about an Indiana politician: GOP Candidate: Hypothetical 14-Year-Old Incest Victim Is 'Perfect Example' For Abortion Ban. Then there is the thought what a boon this would be to the Democrats. 

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