Judge Temporarily Suspends Indiana Abortion Ban

Judge Kelsey Hanlon temporarily halted Indiana’s abortion ban on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

This decision means that abortions up to 20 weeks after fertilization can resume in the state. The ruling also prohibits prosecutors from charging providers in the counties where abortions are performed, as well as prevents the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana from revoking the licenses of abortion providers.

Judge Hanlon wrote that the exceptions included in the previous abortion ban stated that a woman could only have the procedure after “first experiencing extreme sexual violence or significant loss of physical health or death.” She continued to write that the ban “materially burdens the bodily autonomy of Indiana’s women and girls by significantly and arbitrarily limiting their access to care.”

I think this article is newsworthy because it could potentially shift the political climate of the United States. States that are imposing abortion bans could follow Indiana’s example and start suspending their bans as well. Indiana’s ban only lasted for a week before Judge Hanlon temporarily revoked it. This could be the case for other states in the US. I think the article was well-organized, and the author did a good job with clearly presenting the information and staying on topic.