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Abortion rights supporters gather in the Indiana Statehouse as the Indiana Senate debates legislation that would ban most abortion in the state.
Elizabeth Gabriel/WFYISaturday, July 30
3:50 p.m. Senate quickly approves inflation relief legislation
The Senate quickly voted on its inflation relief legislation with a 40 to 4 vote. The proposal suspends sales tax on utility bills for six months, caps the state sales tax on gasoline, reduces the gas tax by one cent per gallon. It also pays for cost overruns on state construction projects and paying down pension debt. It's estimated the bill will save the average household about $120 over six months.
The Senate approves SB3 (ss), inflation relief, by a vote of 40 to 4.
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
It now advances to the House.
That's it for today's Senate session.
The legislation now heads to the House. Earlier this week that chamber passed an inflation relief proposal that varies greatly from the Senate version.
3:20 p.m., Senate turns attention to inflation relief
With the abortion legislation on its way to the House, the Senate turns its attention to inflation relief. The legislation, Senate Bill 3 (ss), suspends sales tax on utility bills for six months, caps the state sales tax on gasoline, reduces the gas tax by one cent per gallon. It also pays for cost overruns on state construction projects and paying down pension debt. It's estimated the bill iwill save the average household about $120 over six months.
Senate inflation relief bill:
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
-suspends state sales tax on your utility bills for 6 months
-caps state sales tax on gas
-rolls back gas tax by 1 penny/gallon
-sends hundreds of millions of $$ for cost overruns on state construction projects and paying down pension debt.
The Senate inflation relief proposal differs from the plan proposed by the House and Gov. Eric Holcomb, which would send a $225 check to eligible Hoosiers.
A reminder on this inflation relief bill: the House and Senate are far apart on this issue.
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
House Republicans (like the governor) want to send $225 inflation relief checks to Hoosiers.
Senate Republicans say that could further add to inflation.
2:50 p.m., Senate approves legislation that would ban most abortions
The Senate has voted to approve SB1 (ss) by a single vote, 26-20. After the vote, abortion rights supporters chanted “shame on you.”
The legislation tightens abortion restrictions in Indiana. In cases of rape of incest, abortion could only be performed if the pregnancy is less than eight weeks “post-fertilization.” If the pregnant person is younger than 16 years old, then they can access abortion in the cases of rape and incest up to 12 weeks after fertilization.
The legislation will now moves to the House where lawmakers will take public testimony, consider amendments and vote before sending it back to the Senate.
The Senate approves its abortion ban by a single vote, 26-20.
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
It now moves to the House.
The crowd outside chants "Shame on you"
Of the 20 no votes, 10 were Republicans. Their reasons ranged from those feeling the legislation was too lenient to those feeling it was an overreach of government.
10 Republicans voted against the abortion ban.
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
-Ron Alting
-Eric Bassler
-Vaneta Becker
-Jim Buck
-Mike Gaskill
-Dennis Kruse
-Mark Messmer
-Jim Tomes
-Kyle Walker
-Mike Young
Tensions were high as lawmakers made their way out of the Senate chamber past abortion rights supporters.
— Elizabeth Gabriel (@_elizabethgabs) July 30, 2022
2:45 p.m., Debate ends, vote is next
Sen. Glick is closing debate on the bill. Vote is next.
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
"If we vote this bill down, the present law in Indiana allows abortions without exception for 20 weeks. I ask you to protect those lives," Glick says.
2:30 p.m., Debate on abortion legislation continues in Senate
The debate on SB1 (ss) continues in the Senate. Hours into the session only one lawmaker has spoken in favor of the bill. All others have spoken against it. During public testimony earlier this week no one spoke in favor of the legislation.
We are more than 2.5 hours into the floor debate on this bill and only one senator has spoken in favor of it: Sen. Sue Glick, its author. And she repeatedly emphasized that the bill is just a "framework" and "imperfect."
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
Some Republicans are speaking out against the the proposal that would ban most abortions in the state. Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville) said she's voting against the bill because it violates Republican principles. "Government exists for the interests of the governed, not for lawmakers," Becker said.
Becker: "Women deserve to have us protect their lives and free will ... [this bill] destroys both."
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
1:15 p.m., Lawmakers continue to debate, speak on abortion legidslation
Lawmakers have been speaking on SB1 (ss) for more than an hour, laying out their cases for and against banning most abortions in the state. Democrats have criticized the ban. Sen. J.D. Ford (D-Indianapolis) called it an "attack on religious freedom." And said it's insulting and cruel to survivors of sexual violence to force them to fill out an affidavit and get it notarized to access abortion care.
Sen. Sue Glick (R-LaGrange) said she sees the bill as a starting point. If it becomes law and it's not what the people of Indiana want, lawmakers can change it in January.
"It was not set in stone in Roe v. Wade and it isn't set in stone in SB1," Glick said.
Some Republicans have said they will vote against the legislation, but for different reasons.
We've heard from two Republicans so far who say they're voting against the bill: Sen. Mike Young (R-Speedway) and Sen. Kyle Walker (R-Lawrence).
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
Young because the bill doesn't restrict abortion enough.
Walker becomes the bill restricts abortion too much.
11:56 a.m. Democratic senators question bill’s sponsor over abortion ban
Sen. Sue Glick (R-LaGrange) presented the bill to the chamber. Democrats started by questioning her about the proposal.
Lanane: under the bill, a woman is forced to remain pregnant.
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
Glick: but not forced to be a parent.
11:30 a.m. Debate on the Senate abortion ban proposal is underway
The Senate begins its session with debate on Senate Bill 1 (ss), which would ban nearly all abortions in the state. Chants, cheers and boos from hundreds of abortion rights supporters outside the chamber can be heard as the lawmakers get started.
Here we go: the Senate is beginning debate on SB1 (ss), the abortion ban.
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
Sen. Sue Glick (R-LaGrange) presents the bill to the chamber.
The crowd is still growing. I’d say roughly 400ish people are now here. pic.twitter.com/3FDKmMJbsV
— Elizabeth Gabriel (@_elizabethgabs) July 30, 2022
11:11 a.m. Lawmakers make their way to Senate chamber to debate iabortion ban an inflation relief proposals
Lawmakers are making their way to the Senate chamber. The start of the session was delayed aby about 10 minutes. The Senate is expected to debate passage of two bills: its inflation relief proposal and SB1 (ss), the abortion ban. To advance, the bills need a "constitutional majority" or 26 votes, to pass. If passed the bills move to the House where lawmakers will take public testimony, consider changes and vote.
Good morning from the floor of the Indiana Senate.
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) July 30, 2022
Starting in about ten minutes, the Senate is expected to debate passage of two bills: its inflation relief proposal and SB1 (ss), the abortion ban. pic.twitter.com/eudTTzodQ9
Lawmakers are making their way to the Senate chamber. The Senate is expected to debate passage of two bills: its inflation relief proposal and SB1 (ss), the abortion ban. To advance, the bills need a "constitutional majority" or 26 votes, to pass. If passed the move to the House where lawmakers will take public testimony, consider changes to the legislation and vote.
9:50 a.m., People begin to gather outside the Senate chamber
About 60 people have gathered inside the Statehouse before lawmakers are scheduled to return to the Senate chamber. Most appear to be opposed to legislation up for a vote today. Another group of abortion rights supporters has gathered outside the Statehouse.
Walking inside, people have started chanting:
— Elizabeth Gabriel (@_elizabethgabs) July 30, 2022
“Pro-life isn’t life, they don’t care if people die.” pic.twitter.com/pqlywNfCBw
People are trickling in and there’s nearly 60 pro-abortion supporters spread throughout the Statehouse.
— Elizabeth Gabriel (@_elizabethgabs) July 30, 2022
We’re about an hour and 15 minutes away from the session starting (if it starts on time). pic.twitter.com/1ehng8LGOG
9:05 a.m., Indiana Senate expected to vote on abortion legislation, protesters begin to gather at the Statehouse
The Indiana Senate is back to work today and expected to vote on Senate Bill 1 (ss), which bans most abortions in the state. The rare Saturday vote follows a marathon session on Thursday where 18 Republicans joined Democrats to reject an effort that would’ve deleted rape and incest exceptions from its proposed abortion ban.
On Tuesday, Senate Republicans amended the legislation to tighten the rape and incest exception. The bill now says an abortion could only be performed if the pregnancy is less than eight weeks “post-fertilization.” If the pregnant person is younger than 16 years old, then they can access abortion in the cases of rape and incest up to 12 weeks after fertilization.
Protesters, organized by the ACLU of Indiana and other pro-choice organizations, are beginning to gather at the Statehouse. The vote is expected to take place at 11 a.m.
Follow Elizabeth Gabriel for updates from outside the Senate chamber and Brandon Smith for updates from inside the chamber. And you can find all of our coverage of the special session here.
WATCH: Live video feed from the Indiana Senate Chamber
I’m here at the Indiana Statehouse this morning, helping out with coverage of the special session for @WFYINews
— Elizabeth Gabriel (@_elizabethgabs) July 30, 2022
The Senate is scheduled to vote on SB 1, a bill that would ban abortions. @brandonjsmith5 will be inside the chambers at 11am. I’ll be outside covering any protests. pic.twitter.com/Hm26b1sLWQ
The @ACLUIndiana is inside and ready to pack the Statehouse. Right now there’s roughly 30ish people here. But they expect a much larger group as the Senate convenes.
— Elizabeth Gabriel (@_elizabethgabs) July 30, 2022
So far I haven’t seen any abortion ban supporters (but I could have just missed them).
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