These proposed laws coming to the Indiana House Public Policy and Veterans’ Affairs Committee are piggy-backing on some of the more disgust-worthy legal actions across the nation. Both bills are suspect for many reasons, but the most interesting implications lie in that they proclaim to help women make better choices and protect women’s health, but when held up to already standing laws, do neither. Whatsoever.
From Planned Parenthood Indiana:
“Senate Bill 76 (SB 76) would require a health care provider to offer a pregnant woman the opportunity to view an ultrasound image or hear the heart tones of the fetus before performing an abortion. This bill does nothing to improve the quality of care received by patients. Indiana’s informed consent law already insures that patients receive full information on the abortion procedure, possible risks, and alternatives available. All Indiana abortion providers already perform an ultrasound before any abortion, to confirm the gestation of the fetus; all patients are welcome to view the ultrasound at that time. However, a fetoscope cannot detect a heartbeat until 16—20 weeks gestation, and even newer Doppler technology cannot measure heart tones until 8-10 weeks. 58% of abortions are performed by 8 weeks’ gestation; with advances in surgical technique and the availability of abortion by medication, the percentage of early abortions will only increase.
“Supporters of SB 76 may say that their aim is to reduce the number of abortions; Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana knows that in reality, this is a politically motivated bill with no medical value, and that the best way to reduce the abortion rate is to ensure universal access to birth control and education services. Watch for anti-choice forces to insert part or all of HB 1607 into this bill.
“House Bill 1607 is a dual assault on a woman’s right to choose. First, HB 1607 would require the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) to establish special procedures for the regulation, inspection, and licensure of some abortion facilities. New regulations like those proposed in HB 1607 not only force the state to spend money on implementation and enforcement, they increase the cost of abortion for both providers and patients, without improving patient care or safety. Indiana abortion providers already meet CLIA, OSHA, IOSHA, and ISDH standards, and according to the ISDH, the complication rate for first trimester abortions is less than 0.5%. While the author of the bill claims that it was written to protect women’s health, the bill would only regulate those providers who perform 4 or more abortions in a month, leaving women who can afford an abortion in a private office rather than a clinic unaffected. An amendment to correct this oversight was voted down.
“HB 1607 would also assume, without any medical evaluation, that every fetus of at least 24 weeks’ gestation has attained viability, despite the fact that every fetus develops at an individual rate, and the fact that it’s impossible to determine viability in such a generalized fashion. Most of the scientific and medical communities approximate viability somewhere between 24-28 weeks. Four times the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that fetal viability must be determined by a doctor on a case-by-case basis (Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. Danforth, 1976; Colautti v. Franklin, 1979, Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, 1989; Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 1992).
“Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana opposes this blatantly political attempt to interfere with a woman’s privacy and with sound medical practice and judgment, which was summed up best by one pro-choice legislator, who called the bill what it is: vicious, mean, racist, classist, and sexist. HB 1607 did not move to the Senate, but the Speaker of the House has listed it as one of his priority bills for resurrection. This attempt of anti-choice legislators to override the judgment of trained medical professionals and the Supreme Court will likely resurface when SB 76 and SB 568 are heard.”
Oh, and did I mention we are also home to the KKK?
Come to Indiana! We’re right neighborly.