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Friday, April 29, 2011

Indiana, Planned Parenthood, Gov. Mitch Daniels (R)

Indiana might soon have the most restrictive abortion law in the country.

That state's legislature has prepared a bill to defund Planned Parenthood in Indiana meaning that Indiana's Planned Parenthood would lose $2 million in state funding. Abortion accounts for 4% of Planned Parenthood's work in Indiana. Other new restrictions on abortions would come into effect if the bill is signed by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R).

That Governor is considered a legitimate contender for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination so this could be a telling moment if he puts his signature on that bill.

One must remember that the state and federal fiscal crises are being used as opportunities for conservatives to install their social agenda with abortion always a central issue.

I would guess that Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) will sign this bill into law. If he does not sign it, its because he has an eye on the White House and believes his chances of winning are improved by not being seen as a social agenda conservative, an unusual flavor in the GOP. In the latter scenario one would suspect that once installed as president, he would then dust off the social agenda.

CS Monitor: Battle over Planned Parenthood heads to states, starting with Indiana
Last week, Indiana lawmakers voted to approve a measure that would defund the state chapter of Planned Parenthood by $2 million, the amount the group gets each year in federal dollars. The bill would also ban abortions following the 20th week of pregnancy unless a woman’s life is in jeopardy. The measure would also require abortion providers to tell women seeking abortions that life begins at conception, that the procedure is linked to infertility, and that fetuses can feel pain at 20 weeks or earlier.


If the Indiana bill becomes law, it would make the state one of the most restrictive in America in terms of where and how abortions are provided.


Data from Planned Parenthood in Indiana show that abortions accounted for about 4 percent of procedures given to women in 2010. The group provided 5,580 abortions last year.

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