In Reflection: Two Years Since the Passage of Indiana’s Abortion Ban

INDIANAPOLIS — On August 5, 2022, the Indiana General Assembly concluded its special session with the passage of Senate Bill 1, which banned abortion in the state with just a 10 week exception for survivors of rape or incest. It was the very first ban passed legislatively after the fall of Roe.

In the two years since, the Guttmacher Institute has reported that although abortions may be banned, that doesn’t mean Hoosiers have stopped undergoing the procedure. From Jan. 2023-April 2024, an estimated 7,000 Hoosier women traveled to neighboring states including Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan to receive that procedure.

Politics have no place interfering in Hoosiers’ homes and doctor’s offices, and instead of continuing to push harmful legislation our lawmakers should be working on bills that exist to better our lives, not restrict the rights of millions of Hoosiers. 

“Our state has expansive food, child care, and maternal health care deserts, and instead of attempting to advocate for those individuals that don’t know where their next meal is coming from, Republicans have instead chosen to infiltrate the private lives of millions’ in order to push an agenda that lacks widespread support,” said Indiana Democratic Party Vice Chair Myla Eldridge.

“This November, we are looking forward to getting more Democrats elected in order to break the supermajority, so we can focus on delivering the kind of policies that Indiana needs: quality education, accessible healthcare, and union jobs with higher wages.”