Monday, January 09, 2006

Bill would make abortion a felony in Indiana!

This may be a glimmer of hope:
Abortion would be illegal for most women in Indiana, including victims of rape and incest, under a bill filed this week in the Indiana House...

The only exception allowed under House Bill 1096 would be for women whose health or life would be permanently impaired if a pregnancy continued. The bill would define life as beginning at conception and make it a felony to perform all other abortions. Anyone convicted would face up to eight years in prison.

[Rep. Troy] Woodruff said he expected the bill to easily pass the House. But Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Garton, R-Columbus, and Gov. Mitch Daniels questioned the prospects of the proposal.

With a Republican majority in both house and senate, and a Republican governor as well, it looks like there may be a chance for this. Woodruff is gambling on Samuel Alito being confirmed this month before the law is passed and challenged, in the hope that the new Supreme Court will look at it differently from the 1973 court.

The text of the bill is here. Pray harder than ever for an unbiased, NARAL-free Supreme Court.

Update: My LaBW points out that although the bill makes it a felony to perform an abortion, it doesn't make it a crime to obtain one. So there is a penalty for the abortionist, but not for the woman. Which is as it should be. Women make the abortion decision under stress; a doctor doesn't. And a doctor who has spent time in prison is unlikely to be practicing when he gets out. Also as it should be.

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