United States Supreme Court remands Indiana ultrasound, parental notification appeals to Seventh Circuit; cert denied in South Bend abortion clinic licensing appeal

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The United States Supreme Court today took action on three Indiana appeals over abortion-related cases.

In two separate Indiana appeals, the Court granted a writ of certiorari. The judgments in these two cases are vacated and both remanded to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit for further consideration in light of the June Medical Services L.L.C. v. Russo decision issued Monday.

One of the cases involves Indiana law requiring the notification of parents when a minor daughter seeks a judicial bypass to have an abortion. This law is blocked by the Seventh Circuit.

The second case, involves Indiana law requiring that women seeking abortions be given the opportunity to view an ultrasound of their unborn baby at least 18 hours prior to an abortion. This law is also blocked by the Seventh Circuit.

In a third appeal, the Court denied cert in a case involving the licensing of the Whole Women’s Health Association abortion clinic in South Bend. The denial of cert means the South Bend abortion clinic can continue to operate as its suit against multiple Indiana pro-life laws goes forward in the courts. Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill argued a federal judge’s order allowing the clinic to operate without a state license is unconstitutional.

“We are very disappointed in the Court’s denial of Indiana’s licensing appeal, but are cautiously optimistic that the ultrasound and parental notification appeals will find success in the Seventh Circuit”, states Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter. “We are very thankful for the relentless effort Attorney General Curtis Hill has given to defending Indiana’s pro-life laws in the courts.”

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Four hundred fewer children aborted in Indiana in 2019 according to new Indiana Department of Health report

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Four hundred fewer children were aborted in Indiana in 2019 compared to 2018, according to the Indiana Terminated Pregnancy Report 2019 released yesterday by the Indiana State Department of Health. The report shows 7,637 abortions in 2019, a 5% decrease from the 8,037 abortions reported in 2018. The drop in abortions ends a two-year period of increases in Indiana and is the lowest total abortions reported in Indiana since 2016.
The new report shows chemical abortions continue to rise in Indiana, with 44% of abortions now being reported as “medical” (41% in 2018) with 56% being reported as surgical (59% in 2018). The report also reveals the continuation of a disproportionately high percentage of abortions on Black/African-American women, comprising just under 32% of abortions in Indiana, while dropping slightly among Latino/Hispanic women.
Planned Parenthood remains by far the largest abortion business in Indiana with 57% of abortions. Whole Women’s Health, allowed to open in South Bend without a license through the order of a federal judge in 2019, reported 138 abortions. Marion County reported the most abortions at 5,669 followed by Lake County at 994 abortions and Monroe County at 816 abortions.  Tippecanoe County showed a large drop in abortions from 196 in 2018 to 20 in 2019, likely due to the lack of an abortion doctor working in that county for most of 2019.
Eskenazi Hospital reported 34 abortions, while Indiana University Health Methodist reported 17 abortions and Indiana University Health North Hospital reported 1 abortion.
Non-Indiana resident abortions dropped by 156 in 2019.
“While we cannot specifically point to any one reason why abortion numbers dropped overall in 2019, we are encouraged in knowing that 400 fewer children were aborted in Indiana last year. That’s the equivalent of an entire graduating class in many Indiana high schools,” states Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter. ““Yet our hearts are still broken knowing that 7,637 children were denied the right to be born, and an untold number of women now bear the physical, emotional and spiritual burdens of those abortion decisions. Meanwhile, abortion businesses in Indiana continue to enjoy a multi million-dollar revenue stream at the expense of innocent babies. The lives of all unborn children matter. We will continue to work for the day when not a single abortion is done in our state.”
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IRTL statement on SCOTUS ruling striking down Louisiana law

Indianapolis, IN – Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter issued the following statement in response to today’s Supreme Court ruling in June Medical Services LLC vs. Russo.

“Today’s ruling is an insult to every woman who has ever been injured or placed at risk at an abortion business. Not only does this ruling undermine states’ rights to enforce health and safety regulations for abortion businesses, it places political ideology over the Constitution. This is an outrageous ruling protecting the business of killing unborn children over common sense safeguards for women.”

Chief Justice John Roberts cast the deciding vote in striking down the Louisiana law.

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Bill underscores the humanity of each aborted baby, requires abortion clinics to fully inform women considering drug-induced abortions

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Indiana Right to Life applauds today’s passage of Senate Bill 299 by the Indiana House as a critical step in underscoring the humanity of each aborted baby while detailing what abortion clinics must tell women considering abortion about Indiana’s humane final disposition law.  The bill passed by a vote of 78-13. The bill will now move to Governor Eric Holcomb for his consideration.
A key component of the bill is a requirement that abortion clinics must inform pregnant women considering abortion-inducing drugs that, following the abortion, there will be the expulsion of an aborted baby. Abortion clinics must also allow women to return aborted babies for humane disposition by interment or cremation.
The bill also requires that abortion clinics maintain a log for each aborted baby. This log must include the date of the abortion, whether the abortion was surgical or induced by an abortion inducing drug, and whether a funeral director will be retrieving the aborted baby. In the event of a chemically induced abortion, the log must identify whether the pregnant woman will cremate or inter the aborted baby, or whether she will return the aborted baby to the abortion facility for cremation or interment.
The bill also requires that any contracts between abortion clinics and crematoriums or funeral homes must be made available for review by the state, and that copies of any burial transit permits must be kept in a permanent file. In addition, any entity receiving aborted babies for interment or cremation must confirm that the total number of aborted babies match the information contained in the burial transit and accompanying log. This section in particular will help prevent any Klopfer-like situations from ever happening again in Indiana.
“The fact that this bill addresses the humane final disposition of aborted babies underscores the humanity of each one of them,” states Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter. “Indiana’s current humane final disposition law, as upheld by the Supreme Court, contains grey areas we believe abortion clinics use to keep women in the dark, especially when it comes to drug-induced abortions. This bill addresses these areas and makes sure women get all the facts, including the reality that a drug-induced abortion will result in an aborted baby. We will continue working for a day when no child is aborted in Indiana. Until that day comes, this bill will make sure these children are never again treated like common medical waste in our state.”
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Seven Indiana congressional members join amicus brief in case that will impact Indiana 

INDIANAPOLIS – Seven members of Indiana’s congressional delegation are included among the 207 members of congress adding their names to an amicus brief calling for the Supreme Court to uphold a Louisiana law requiring abortion doctors in that state to hold local hospital admitting privileges.

The brief states all signers, “have a special interest in the correct interpretation, application, and enforcement of health and safety standards for elective abortion enacted by the People of the States they represent.”

The case before the U.S. Supreme Court is June Medical Services, LLC, et al. v Rebekah Gee, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

The Indiana congressional members joining the brief are:

Sen. Mike Braun
Sen. Todd Young
Rep. Jim Baird
Rep. Jim Banks
Rep. Larry Bucshon
Rep. Greg Pence
Rep. Jackie Walorski

“We applaud these members of Indiana’s congressional delegation for adding their names in support of the Louisiana law,” states Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter.  “The court’s actions regarding this case are certain to have implications on Indiana’s abortion law.”

 

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