By a vote of 7-5, the Senate Rules committee this morning passed a bill that would eliminate abortions in Indiana except in instances of rape, incest or the life of the mother.
The bill was amended to make it a level 5 felony for a health care professional who performs an illegal abortion.
In addition, the bill was also amended to require women and girls claiming rape/incest exception for abortion to sign an affidavit . Also if a female is under 16 and raped she can have an abortion up to 12 weeks; otherwise if raped only up to 8 weeks.
Senate Majority leader Mark Messmer voted against the bill, saying the debate showed impossibility of “threading the needle” on issue. Senators Eric Bassler and Ed Charbonneau warned they may vote no on floor if bill isn’t improved.
The bill’s author, Sen. Sue Glick Glick said she wasn’t exactly happy with the legislation, but she said advancing the bill through the process is to keep working on it to get it right.
The bill now goes to the full Senate for more amendments and a final vote.
You can here the Senate Committee’s debate in the Leon-Tailored Audio above.
