Vice President Harris to visit Indiana Monday as lawmakers discuss abortion ban

Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to visit Indianapolis on Monday, according to Harris’ senior advisor for communications.

Harris will meet with state legislators and leaders “to discuss the fight to protect reproductive rights,” Herbie Ziskend wrote in a tweet on Friday. 

The visit coincides with the beginning of a special session, starting on July 25, where lawmakers will consider bills that ban abortion, among other issues. The measure proposed by Republican lawmakers would put a total ban on abortions with limited exceptions for rape, incest or if the life of the pregnant person is at risk or if the fetus cannot survive outside the womb.

Multiple rallies, organized by groups on both sides of the issue, are set to take place at the statehouse on Monday. It’s unclear if Harris will attend. 

Earlier this month, Harris met with state legislative leaders from five states where lawmakers are expected to call special sessions to pass abortion bans. The five states have Republican-controlled legislatures and Republican governors. Democratic Representative Phil GiaQuinta, the Indiana House Minority Leader, attended the meeting. 

Indiana is expected to become the first of several states to ban abortion during a special session following the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. 

This story comes from a reporting collaboration that includes the Indianapolis Recorder and Side Effects Public Media, a public health news initiative based at WFYI. Contact Farah at fyousry@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @Farah_Yousrym.