After a tense week of debate over whether to provide exceptions for rape and incest, Indiana state senators narrowly enacted a near-total abortion ban on Saturday during a rare weekend session.
However, the Republican Party split over the bill’s inclusion of exceptions for rape and incest, and ten Republican senators voted against it. Before the vote, pro-choice advocates warned
that the bill went too far in its scope. As one of the numerous physicians who testified against it, Dr. Roberto Darroca sought an exception to protect the mother’s health.
On Tuesday, Mark Hosbein was part of a large gathering at the Capitol. During Senate committee hearings on the second day of the extraordinary legislative session
protesters could be heard yelling and cheering. Even if it means killing the mother, Holbein of Indianapolis declared that abortion should be legal in all circumstances.
According to a poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, few people believe abortion should always be outlawed. With 18 Republicans.
Most Americans agree that their state should allow abortions in certain circumstances, such as when a woman’s life is in jeopardy or when the pregnancy stems from rape or incest.
If the package is allowed to move from the Republican-controlled Senate to the GOP-controlled House, those Republicans who opposed the exceptions will be forced to support it.
Indiana Right to Life President Mike Fichter stated earlier this week that if they don’t approve legislation during the three-week session, “they must explain to the voters
Republican House Speaker Todd Huston stated his support for the rape and incest exceptions. As he added, “I’ve kind of promised myself that we’ll deal with this all next week.”