D&E Abortion Ban Headed To Governor's Desk

Senate lawmakers sent legislation to the governor Tuesday that largely bans the abortion procedures known as D&Es.

Many in the medical community say dilation and evacuation abortions are the safest procedure for terminating a pregnancy in the second trimester.

But Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne) calls the procedure “barbaric.”

“And it is constitutionally appropriate for Hoosiers to decide that it is not necessary to dismember a baby in order to preserve women’s constitutional right to privacy,” Brown says.

The ACLU of Indiana disagrees and has already pledged to challenge the measure. It's sued the state six times this decade over anti-abortion legislation and has yet to lose.

Sen. Jean Breaux (D-Indianapolis) says banning D&Es will leave women with only one option when ending a pregnancy during their second trimester.

“Force a woman to go through delivery and deliver a pre-term fetus or watch the fetus seize or suffocate to death," Breaux says. "Can you imagine that trauma?”

The Senate passed the bill 38-10, largely along party lines. One Republican – Sen. Phil Boots (R-Crawfordsville) – joined Democrats in voting against the measure.