Indiana becomes first state to ban abortion after Supreme Court ruling

Lawmakers in Indiana (USA) have approved this Friday a bill that bans most abortions, thus becoming the first state in the North American country to approve new legislation restricting access to abortion since the Supreme Court revoked that right last June.

Thus, the bill has been signed by the governor of the state, Eric Holcomb, after it was approved with a large majority. A total of 28 senators supported the measure, compared to 19 who spoke against it. Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, 62 members voted in favor and 38 rejected it.

“These actions followed long days of hearings filled with personal and sobering testimony from citizens and elected representatives on this emotional and complex issue. Ultimately, those voices shaped the final content of the legislation and its carefully negotiated exceptions to address some of the unthinkable circumstances a woman or unborn child might face,” Holcomb has explained in a statement.

The bill–which will take effect Sept. 15–provides exceptions in cases where the mother’s life is at risk or lethal fetal anomalies are expected in the first 20 weeks. It will also allow exceptions for some abortions if the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.

This new legislation marks that abortions can only be performed in hospitals, therefore, causing abortion clinics to lose their license, as reported by ‘ABC News’.

Currently, the state of Indiana allows abortions in the first 22 weeks of pregnancy.