Abortion is the topic during a special session of the Indiana General Assembly coming up on July 25. State Sen. Rod Bray, president pro tem of the Indiana Senate, said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon that the bill that will be considered during the session would limit abortion to being allowed only in the cases of rape, incest, if the life of the mother would be in danger, or if the child would not live because of severe medical issues.
“Our underlying goal is to protect human life by limiting abortion to the life of the mother, rape and incest and doing everything we can to support women and babies in the State of Indiana,” said Bray, whose remarks foillowed comments by fellow Republican Sue Glick, of LaGrange, who outlined the provisions of the bill.
The bill (SB1) would not add any additional penalties for doctors who perform abortions. That penalty would still be the possible loss of their medical license.
“This bill does not affect access to the ‘morning after pill’, also known as’ Plan B ‘, or any other method of birth control,” said Glick.
The bill would also not penalize women who seek an abortion.
Bray said another bill (SB2) will provide $50 million for supporting women and babies. He said $5 million of that would go toward increasing the adoption credit from $1,000 to $10,000 to make it easier and more affordable to adopt. Another $45 million would go toward a “Hoosier Families First Fund,” which, among other things, would increase access to long-term contraception.
The session will also give lawmakers an opportunity to address financial concerns not only for you but for some items in the state budget that have been affected by inflation. Bray said some money would be put toward those projects.
To assist you, lawmakers intend to cap the gas tax at 29.5 percent, which means that the normally fluctuating gas tax will no longer rise, but it may fall if gas prices fall.That will remain in effect until 2023.
You will also not be paying sales tax on your utilities for a half a year. “A six-month reprieve from the seven percent sales tax on all residential utility bills, including gas, water, electric, and phones.” “Nearly every Hoosier will benefit from this every month on every utility bill,” said Bray.
Republicans control both the House and Senate, and thus the session, though Bray promised that all sides would be heard and that the debate would be methodical and unhurried.
“It is unconscionable that Indiana Republicans are gambling with the lives of Hoosier women to gain points in an ultimately unwinnable culture war,” said Democratic leader Sen. Phil GiaQuinta in a prepared statement following the press conference.
“The choice to have an abortion is a personal decision that ought to be left up to a woman and her health care provider, not Republicans who are playing doctor in the Indiana Statehouse.”
