Planned Parenthood Condemns Governor Holcomb and His Failed Leadership

Governor Signs Dangerous and Medically Unsound Abortion Restrictions Into Indiana Law

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Today, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates condemns Governor Eric Holcomb for signing House Bill 1577, a dangerous and harmful bill with extreme abortion restrictions into Indiana law. 

This legislation forces health care professionals to lie to their patients and would dangerously complicate the health and well-being of pregnant people across the state. The web of restrictions on abortion in Indiana was nearly impenetrable even before the politically-motivated requirements of HB 1577 — with 70 percent of Indiana women already living in counties without an abortion provider. Only Louisiana has passed more restrictions on abortion care than Indiana. With the passage of this bill, the Indiana General Assembly and Gov. Holcomb make it clear that politicizing public health is more convenient for their re-election campaigns than fighting to protect care for their constituents. 

The Indiana General Assembly wasted valuable time passing HB 1577, a clearly unconstitutional bill that peddles the dangerously misleading lie that medication abortion can be "reversed." Abortions are not reversible. This anti-science bill is just another effort to shame, judge, and stigmatize pregnant people who seek safe, legal abortion, and to put more barriers on access to health care. 

“Governor Holcomb showed his cowardice by failing to veto an ideologically driven bill that peddles junk science and harms the people of Indiana,” said LaKimba DeSadier, Indiana State Director of PPAA. “He has failed to stand up for science. He has failed to support the medical professionals and providers across this state by forcing them to choose between lying to their patients or face criminal charges. He has failed repeatedly to stop the shame and stigma against pregnant people and the health care they need. It is disgraceful. It is unconstitutional, and the people of Indiana won’t forget, which is why we intend to take legal action.” 

“This law is meant to shame patients seeking access to a safe, legal medical procedure, and puts their health in jeopardy. Politicians like Gov. Holcomb are peddling dangerous medical misinformation in their ongoing quest to ban abortion,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “Patients should be able to trust the information their doctors provide to them and know it is rooted in science, not political motives. Planned Parenthood stands on the side of truth and patients. We will continue fighting to ensure people receive medically accurate information when seeking the health care they need.”

On top of centuries of systemically racist health care policies, these restrictions enacted by HB 1577 compound the barriers Black communities and people of color already experience in accessing medical care — exacerbating concerns during a global pandemic with no end in sight. 

Planned Parenthood is dismayed that Gov. Holcomb signed this bill into law and rewarded the legislature’s exasperating fixation on limiting health care options during a pandemic rather than focusing on providing the people of Indiana with the resources they need to recover quickly.

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Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, Serving AK, HI, ID, IN, KY, WA (PPAA) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization educating residents and policymakers about reproductive health issues in Alaska, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky and Washington. PPAA lobbies and educates to advance Planned Parenthood's mission, and engages in limited electoral activities.
 

Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational, advocacy, and electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.