STATEHOUSE (March 15, 2022) – The governor recently signed into law State Rep. Joanna King's (R-Middlebury) legislation protecting pregnant Hoosier women and their unborn children from coerced abortions.
House Enrolled Act 1217 will make it a felony in Indiana to coerce a woman into having an abortion. The bill will also hold abortion clinics accountable for failing to report coercion to law enforcement. Indiana now joins 18 other states that provide protections to women and babies from coerced abortions.
"This new law is a step in the right direction to ensure we are protecting pregnant women who may be threatened or forced into getting an abortion," King said. "I believe every life is precious, and this will help provide expectant Hoosiers with every opportunity to make an informed, voluntary and consensual decision."
According to a 2017 Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons study, nearly 75% of the 987 American women who participated in an after-abortion survey admitted they experienced at least subtle forms of pressure to terminate their pregnancies.
King said this new law will require medical providers to ask women seeking an abortion if they have been coerced. If coercion is detected, the provider would give information about counseling and financial resources, provide the patient access to a telephone, and an alternative exit from the health care facility. The provider must also report the crime to law enforcement.
King said this legislation could also help victims of domestic violence or sex trafficking escape their abusers by providing a safe space for women to speak to medical providers privately.
Under this law, anyone who knowingly or intentionally coerces a pregnant woman to have an abortion commits a Level 6 felony, which is punishable by a prison term ranging from 6 months to 2.5 years and a fine of up to $10,000. Any medical facility that employs a mandatory reporter who fails to report coercion is subject to a Class C infraction.
House Enrolled Act 1217 takes effect on July 1, 2022. To stay up-to-date on legislation being considered for new laws by the governor, visit in.gov/gov/newsroom/2022-bill-watch/.
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State Rep. Joanna King (R-Middlebury) represents House District 49,
which includes the eastern portion of Elkhart County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
PHOTO CAPTION: State Rep. Joanna King (R-Middlebury) presents her legislation to protect pregnant Hoosier women and their unborn children from coerced abortions Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at the Indiana Statehouse. King's legislation makes it a Level 6 felony to knowingly or intentionally coerce a pregnant woman to have an abortion and will also hold abortion clinics accountable for failing to report coercion to law enforcement.
