Special judge grants preliminary injunction blocking Indiana’s new abortion law
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — A special judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking Indiana’s new abortion law.
The Thursday decision means the ban is no longer in effect as the lawsuit proceeds.
The ACLU sued to block the ban, arguing the Indiana constitution includes a right to privacy and to make decisions on whether to have children.
The judge wrote in her ruling that whether a right to privacy exists in the state constitution is an open question.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said he plans to make appeal the decision.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita:
“Our office remains determined to fight for the lives of the unborn, and this law provides a reasonable way to begin doing that.”
Indiana Right to Life:
“Today’s blockage of Indiana’s new law means over 161 unborn children will continue to lose their lives to abortion every week this injunction stays in effect. We are encouraged by the judge’s acknowledgement of the state’s legitimate interest in protecting unborn babies and are hopeful the blockage will be brief.”
Indiana House Democratic Caucus
“The judge’s motion today temporarily restored dignity to Hoosier women. Indiana Republicans continue to waste Hoosier taxpayer dollars after a costly special session to ban abortion. The GOP’s endless crusade to disenfranchise women and girls of personal choice and autonomy has already cost our state countless dollars, and this lawsuit will surely add to the tab of hard-working folks. House Democrats will monitor the lawsuit as it moves through the judicial process.”
ACLU of Indiana and Planned Parenthood
“We knew this ban would cause irreparable harm to Hoosiers, and in just a single week, it has done just that. We are grateful that the court granted much needed relief for patients, clients, and providers but this fight is far from over. Indiana lawmakers have made it abundantly clear that this harm, this cruelty, is exactly the reality they had in mind when they passed S.B. 1. There are 1.5 million people of reproductive age in the state of Indiana, and every single one of them deserve the right to make their own decisions about their bodies, families, and futures.
S.B. 1 was the first abortion ban in the country to be passed, signed into law, and go into effect following this summer’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The law was passed in a special session called by lawmakers that, while they rushed the ban through, ignored the thousands of providers, patients, and advocates that packed the statehouse, trying to appeal to the elected officials that purport to serve them.
The lawsuit was filed by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Lawyering Project, the ACLU of Indiana, and WilmerHale on behalf of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, Whole Woman’s Health Alliance, Women’s Med Group Professional Corp, All-Options, Inc, and Dr. Amy Caldwell.”