Greater Lafayette task force aims to broaden conversation beyond pro-life vs pro-choice - Indiana Economic Digest

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home : most recent : most recent		February 16, 2019

2/2/2019 4:14:00 PM
Greater Lafayette task force aims to broaden conversation beyond pro-life vs pro-choice

At a glance

Here's a quick recap of other bills being considered at the statehouse regarding reproductive health.

House Bill 1211:

Authors: Rep. Peggy Mayfield, R-Martinsville and Christy Stutzman, R-Goshen

This bill is designed to attach a Level 5 felony for performing a "dismemberment" abortion. It outlines the exception to this being if the procedure is necessary to prevent serious health risks or save the mother's life. However, opponents of this bill say that "dismemberment" is not a medical term used and the description in the bill, which includes "rigid levers, slices, crushes or grasps a portion of the festus's body to cut or rip off", is not medically accurate and describe it as "junk science." The bill has been reassigned to the Committee on Public Policy.

The deadline for House bills is Tuesday, Feb, 19. Constituents can call
317-232-9600 to express their support or disapproval of bills.

Senate Bill 201:

Authors: Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne and Sen. Dennise Kruse R-Auburn

The bill aims to expand on Indiana's existing law that allows health care providers to oppose performing, assisting or participating in an abortion procedure based on their personal morals, ethics or religious background. The bill proposes that the definition of health care provider be broadened to include professions such as dentists, optometrists and athletic trainers among many others. Opponents of the bill, including the Younger Women's Task Force of Greater Lafayette and Planned Parenthood, describe this as a "solution in search of a problem" saying the law that stands is broad enough and adding this definition would hurt patients.The bill is waiting to be heard by the Committee on Health and Provider Services.

Senate Bill 352:

Authors: Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, Sen. Jean Breaux, D-Indianapolis

The bill would permit pregnant minors who are at least 16 years old to seek prenatal, delivery and postpartum care without parent or guardian consent. Opponents of the bill questioned the role parents should have in determining health care for their children, specifically underage pregnancy. A third reading of this bill was heard on Tuesday, January 29 where it was narrowly declined by one nay vote. However, because the bill didn't get at least 26 votes against it, it can be resurrected.

The deadline for Senate bills is Thursday, Feb. 21. Constituents can call
317-232-9400 to express their support or disapproval of bills.

Lindsay Moore, Journal and Courier Reporter

LAFAYETTE — Last week, a crowd outside the Indiana Statehouse chanted that they were the "pro-life generation." The same day, the Younger Women's Task Force of Greater Lafayette was inside holding a press conference attempting to broaden the conversation beyond the lines of pro-choice or anti-choice.

The Task Force worked with Planned Parenthood, All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center and other Indiana reproductive freedom organizations to show support for Senator Jean Breaux's bill.

Senate Bill 589 does not claim to be an abortion bill, although it does include abortion as part of its wider reproductive health discussion. The bill is currently sitting in the Committee on Judiciary.

The bill advocates that Indiana residents have the right to choose or refuse contraception or sterilization, parent the individual's child and choose whether to carry a pregnancy to term, give birth, place the child for adoption or have an abortion.

The idea was to lay a base level of rights for Hoosiers who can get pregnant, Vanessa Pacheco, YWTF's Director of Policy, said.

“We want to be able to drive some really strong conversation about reproductive health care in this state," she said. "Especially because in the past couple of years there’s been such a strong push to control ideology and decision-making processes for Hoosiers as they are making such serious decisions for themselves."

This legislation aligns with the task force's mission of equity among all women because family planning can be influenced by levels of poverty or racial injustice, Pacheco said.