Current:Home > MarketsIndiana Supreme Court ruled near-total abortion ban can take effect -Clarity Finance Guides
Indiana Supreme Court ruled near-total abortion ban can take effect
View
Date:2025-04-11 15:44:45
The Indiana Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the state's near-total abortion ban can take effect.
The legislation — among the strictest in the nation — bans abortion except in cases of rape, incest, and to protect the life and physical health of the mother, and will now be put into place as soon as August 1, the ACLU of Indiana said.
In a 66-page opinion, Justice Derek R. Molter, writing on behalf of the court's majority opinion, said the state has broad authority to protect the public's health, welfare, and safety, and "extends to protecting prenatal life."
Plaintiffs, including Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers, filed the challenge saying that the abortion legislation criminalizes their work. Stopping the injunction would protect the providers from criminal and other penalties. They also said the law clashes with the state's constitution.
But the judges argued that the General Assembly is generally permitted to prohibit abortions that are unnecessary to protect a woman's life or health, within constitutional limits, so the law doesn't conflict with the constitution. Molter wrote that the state can implement the law within constitutional parameters and the opinion can vacate the preliminary injunction.
In the decision, Molter wrote that while the judges "recognize that many women view the ability to obtain an abortion as an exercise of their bodily autonomy," he wrote, "it does not follow that it is constitutionally protected in all circumstances."
In a news statement, the ACLU of Indiana said the ruling "will deprive more than 1.5 million people in Indiana—particularly Black, Latino, and Indigenous people, people with low incomes, and LGBTQ+ people, who already face challenges when seeking medical care—of life-saving, essential care."
They said that patients will be "forced either to flee the state" to get abortions. Or patients will get abortions "outside of the healthcare system" or remain pregnant "against their will" with potentially serious medical, financial and emotional outcomes.
"This is a serious setback, but the fight isn't over," they wrote.
In August 2022, Indiana became the first state to pass new legislation restricting access to abortions since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Legislative exceptions for abortions for rape and incest victims are limited to 10 weeks of fertilization. Abortions are also allowed if a fetus has a lethal anomaly.
- In:
- Indiana
- Abortion
Cara Tabachnick is a news editor for CBSNews.com. Contact her at cara.tabachnick@cbsinteractive.com
veryGood! (18)
Related
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Congress Is Debating Its Biggest Climate Change Bill Ever. Here's What's At Stake
- The Mighty Mangrove
- China accuses Biden of open political provocation for equating President Xi Jinping to dictators
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Savannah Chrisley Shares New Details About Her Teenage Suicide Attempt
- Biden's Iran envoy on leave, says his security clearance is under review
- China accuses Biden of open political provocation for equating President Xi Jinping to dictators
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- You'll Never Go Anywhere Without This $11 Tote Bag That Has Over 59,000 5-Star Amazon Reviews
Ranking
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Enough With The Climate Jargon: Scientists Aim For Clearer Messages On Global Warming
- $500,000 reward offered 26 years after woman found dead at bottom of cliff in Australia
- Get These $68 Lululemon Shorts for $39, a $58 Tank Top for $29, an $88 Top for $39, and More Must-Haves
- Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
- Satellite Photos Show Just How Bad The Flooding From Ida Has Been In New Jersey
- Kevin Spacey called sexual bully by prosecutor in U.K. sexual assault trial
- Rain Fell On The Peak Of Greenland's Ice Sheet For The First Time In Recorded History
Recommendation
IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
Thousands Of People Flee A Wildfire Near The French Riviera During Vacation Season
Brooke Shields Reveals John F. Kennedy Jr.'s Less Than Chivalrous Reaction to Her Turning Him Down
Estonia becomes first ex-Soviet country to legalize same-sex marriage
Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
Heavy Rains Lead To Flash Flooding In Eastern Nebraska
Greenland Pummeled By Snow One Month After Its Summit Saw Rain For The First Time
You'll Be On The Floor When You Hear Ben Affleck Speaking Fluent Spanish