State To Appeal Ruling On Anti-Abortion Law

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill announced Friday the state will appeal a federal judge’s recent ruling halting parts of the state’s new anti-abortion law.

Federal Judge Sarah Evans Barker temporarily blocked three provisions of the controversial measure dealing with underage girls who seek abortions.

If an underage girl doesn’t or can’t get consent for an abortion from her parents, she can go to court for that consent. The new law says a judge can decide if the parents are informed of that hearing. Barker, a Reagan appointee, said that created an undue burden on those young women.

Hill says Barker’s ruling makes it easier for a 14-year-old to get an abortion than a tattoo. And he accuses Barker of saying parents shouldn’t be involved in their child’s decision to have an abortion.

She also blocked a second part of the law, requires parents to prove, using “some evidence” beyond ID that they are a child’s parents when giving consent for an abortion. Barker ruled the statute too vague to enforce.

Barker said a third provision of the law violated the First Amendment. It bans Planned Parenthood – or anyone else – from telling a minor about abortion options outside of Indiana.

Hill says the state will appeal Barker’s temporary injunction to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.