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Senate Democrats say GOP attack on abortion rights has Hoosiers 'confused and intimidated'

 woman stands at microphones
Brandon Smith
/
IPB News
At a press conference on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, marking one year since the U.S. Supreme Court's decision overturning guaranteed abortion rights, Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) said the Indiana Republican measure to largely ban abortions has left Hoosiers "uncomfortable, confused and intimidated."

It’s been one year since the U.S. Supreme Court revoked the constitutional guarantee of abortion rights. And state Senate Democrats said Republican attacks on abortion access since that decision have left Hoosiers “uncomfortable, confused and intimidated.”

Indiana was the first state to pass new abortion restrictions in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling. The state’s near-total ban isn’t in effect because of court challenges. But Dr. Amy Caldwell, an OB-GYN who also provides abortion care, said it’s still created fear and misunderstanding among patients.

“I’ve personally seen patients try to attempt to end pregnancies in ways that were unsafe and dangerous because they thought they had no other option,” Caldwell said.

READ MORE: Indiana Supreme Court considers future of abortion rights in lawsuit over state's near-total ban

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Senate Democrats have tried and will continue to propose eliminating the near-total abortion ban. But Republicans hold supermajorities in the legislature.

Still, Sen. Jean Breaux (D-Indianapolis) said GOP lawmakers aren’t accurately representing the will of Hoosiers. Abortion bans, she said, aren’t pro-life.

“They’re anti-poor, anti-Black and anti-women,” Breaux said.

The Indiana Supreme Court could rule any day on the constitutionality of the state’s abortion law.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

Copyright 2023 IPB News. To see more, visit .

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.