STATEHOUSE (Feb. 1, 2022) – The Indiana House of Representatives recently approved a bill supported by State Rep. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City) to protect pregnant Hoosier women and their unborn children from coerced abortions.
Under House Bill 1217, it would be a felony in Indiana to coerce a woman into having an abortion. The bill also holds abortion clinics accountable for failing to report coercion to law enforcement. If passed into law, Indiana would join 18 other states that provide protections to women and babies from coerced abortions.
"With this bill, pregnant mothers facing terrible situations would have some additional protections for themselves and their unborn babies," Prescott said. "Women in these situations deserve resources and help, and if they are being coerced, they need safety."
According to 2017 Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons study, nearly 75 percent of the 987 American women who participated in an after-abortion survey admitted that they experienced at least subtle forms of pressure to terminate their pregnancies.
Prescott said the bill would 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.
Prescott said the 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 House Bill 1217, 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.
Visit iga.in.gov for more information on House Bill 1217, which now moves to the Indiana Senate for further consideration.
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State Rep. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City) represents House District 33, which
includes Jay and Randolph counties, and a portion of Delaware County.
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