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Thousands of people went to the Indiana capital on Saturday, June 25 to advocate for abortion rights.
Eric Weddle/WFYIIndiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is asking the courts to lift injunctions on three previously halted abortion restrictions. This comes as state lawmakers prepare to meet in a special session to enact a likely statewide abortion ban.
Rokita wants the courts to allow three laws to go into effect: a ban on dilation and evacuation or D&E abortions; a ban on abortions because of race, ability or gender; and a requirement parents are notified if a court approves an abortion for a minor.
All three laws – passed by the legislature between 2016 and 2019 – were halted by courts before going into effect. But following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling striking down Roe v. Wade, Rokita said in a statement the state now has “much greater authority” over abortion laws.
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The attorney general’s office also obtained a joint stipulation from Whole Woman’s Health in South Bend and Planned Parenthood in Evansville to halt their expansion of services. Whole Woman’s Health had planned to offer surgical abortions and Planned Parenthood had planned to offer medicinal abortions. Neither will move forward until at least Aug. 11.
Indiana lawmakers will come back for a special session on July 6. Indiana Statehouse Republicans aren’t saying how far they’ll go in banning abortions. For many, the question seems to be not whether lawmakers will ban abortion, but whether they’ll allow exceptions in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the pregnant person is at risk.
Contact Lauren at lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @laurenechapman_.
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