INDIANAPOLIS – The State has requested United States Supreme Court review of the Seventh Circuit ruling against aspects of House Enrolled Act 1337. The bill, signed into law by former Governor Mike Pence, would impose unprecedented restrictions on women who seek abortions, including banning a woman from getting an abortion based on her reason for seeking one. The law was challenged by the ACLU of Indiana on behalf of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky (PPINK).
Ken Falk, legal director with the ACLU of Indiana and PPINK attorney had this reaction:
“This law ignores long-settled precedent from the Supreme Court that a woman, not the legislature, gets to decide whether an abortion is the right decision for her and her family. The State’s request is yet another attempt by Indiana elected officials to take that decision out of a woman’s hands.”
Christie Gillespie, president and CEO of PPINK said:
“It’s disappointing that the state of Indiana continues to defend these unconstitutional and medically unnecessary abortion restrictions. By appealing to the Supreme Court, the state of Indiana is trying to not only chip away at Hoosiers’ rights, but also threaten the rights of people seeking safe and legal abortion care across the country. If they truly want to reduce the need for abortion in Indiana, our legislators should focus on expanding access to affordable birth control and comprehensive sex education, not blocking patients’ access to care.”
Jane Henegar, executive director of ACLU of Indiana said:
“The State of Indiana’s attempt to take this case all the way to the Supreme Court is part of the continued assault on women’s constitutional rights being waged across the country. Deeply personal decisions about abortion should be made by women in consultation with their loved ones and health care professionals—not by politicians. We will remain vigilant in our defense of every woman’s right to make her own medical decisions.”
