Indiana Becomes 1st State To Pass An Abortion Ban Post-Roe v. Wade

Late Friday night, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb (R) signed a near-total ban on abortion. This makes Indiana the first state to approve abortion restrictions since the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Currently, abortion in Indiana is legal up until the 22nd week of pregnancy. Once the ban takes effect September 15, abortion will be illegal, except in cases of rape or incest, before 10-weeks post-fertilization; fatal fetal abnormalities; or if the pregnant person’s life is at risk. For the record, most people do not even know they are pregnant until more than eight weeks after their last missed period.

The procedure will only be permitted in hospitals or outpatient centers owned by hospitals. All abortion clinics will lose their licenses, and any doctor who performs an abortion outside of these environments will lose their medical license.

This abortion ban “makes Indiana one of the most pro-life states in the nation,” said Rep. Wendy McNamara (R), one of the bill’s sponsors. “Ultimately, they're looking at the opportunity for 99% of abortions in the state of Indiana to be eliminated one way or the other.”

Large companies based in Indiana also made statements condemning the restrictive abortion ban. Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical company that is also one of the state’s largest employers, said in a statement that they would be “forced to plan for more employment growth outside of our home state.”

“We are concerned that this law will hinder Lilly’s — and Indiana’s — ability to attract diverse scientific, engineering and business talent from around the world,” the company said in a statement Saturday. “While we have expanded our employee health plan coverage to include travel for reproductive services unavailable locally, that may not be enough for some current and potential employees,” the company said. Eli Lilly employs 10,000 people in Indianapolis.

Cummins, an engine manufacturing company that also employs 10,000 people in Indiana, also condemned the legislation, noting not only how it puts pregnant people who are seeking abortions at risk, but also could have massive economic repercussions for the state.

“There are provisions in the law that conflict with this, impact our people, impede our ability to attract and retain top talent and influence our decisions as we continue to grow our footprint with a focus on selecting welcoming and inclusive environments,” the Cummins spokesman said, according to CNBC.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre lambasted the new legislation.

“The Indiana legislature took a devastating step as a result of the Supreme Court’s extreme decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate women’s constitutionally-protected right to abortion. And, it’s another radical step by Republican legislators to take away women’s reproductive rights and freedom, and put personal health care decisions in the hands of politicians rather than women and their doctors,” Jean-Pierre wrote in a statement.

“Until then, President Biden is committed to taking action to protect women’s reproductive rights and freedom, and access to care they are afforded under Federal law.”