Indiana’s Abortion Ban is the First Since Roe Fell

What’s happening: Indiana passed a near-total ban on abortion that will become effective 9/15/22.

Details: The ban prohibits abortion in all cases, with the following exceptions:

• Rape or incest (allowed until 12 weeks)
• Fatal fetal anomaly, or when necessary to prevent serious health risks or death of the pregnant person (allowed until 22 weeks)

The law also requires that:

• all abortions be performed in a hospital or hospital-based clinic
• a doctor lose their medical license if they violate the law

Zoom in: Although Republicans dominate the state legislature, lawmakers were divided. Some wanted a total ban, and others were worried about passing an unpopular law that could hurt them in the November elections.

On the ground: Currently, abortion is legal in Indiana until 22 weeks; about 30% of Hoosiers having abortion already travel out of state because abortion is difficult to access in Indiana.

Why this matters: Beyond just how this affects Indiana residents, and the neighboring states they’ll need to travel to, this debate is playing across the country in states like West Virginia and Michigan.

---

Go Deeper…