Women's Health

Oh, HB 1577, how do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways . . . 

Attempting to unpack the full scope of this bill, authored by Rep. Peggy Mayfield, is quite a task. This cannot be done in one afternoon, yet the bill passed the Public Health Committee on February 15th with only a few conscientious representatives calling into question the obvious risks, invasions of privacy and wisdom of physicians, and its outright disregard for the Constitutional rights of individuals seeking legal abortion services. From Committee, HB 1577 went to a second reading, and was passed in the House on February 22nd with 67 yeas and 29 nays. While the Biden administration's intention is to codify Roe v. Wade, it appears that Hoosier women are being met with some very unfriendly - if not downright harmful - attempts to come between physicians and patients and dictate what decisions she makes about her healthcare. Unfortunately, Indiana is not alone. Legislators in several states are presenting and passing bills to restrict women's access to safe abortion. Clearly, the obsession of some lawmakers to control the bodies of women knows no bounds.

This bill takes several steps in several different segments of healthcare, freedom of speech, medical ethics, and puts at risk the health of women who have already decided to end their pregnancies within 10 weeks. That's right--within 10 weeks. This is NOT about the so-called "late-term abortions," a fictitious term bandied about by politicians and preachers alike to demonize women for exercising our Constitutional freedom. Today's blog entry is a mere introduction. I have tons of research completed, but time does not allow for me to get a full grasp on any one of the issues in HB 1577 in writing. Below, I've divided the bill into smaller sections to make it easier to read and unpack. If you wish to read it exactly as it is formatted in the Indiana General Assembly, you may see it here: Indiana General Assembly portal. (Accessed March 3, 2021)

DIGEST: Telemedicine and abortion related services.

 - Adds mental health providers to the list of persons who may not be required to participate in specified procedures and practices concerning abortion or aborted remains if the mental health provider objects to such procedures and practices on the basis of ethical, moral, or religious belief.

- Provides that an abortion inducing drug may not be dispensed, prescribed, or given to a woman after eight weeks of post fertilization age.

-  Requires a physician to dispense the abortion inducing drug in person and have the pregnant woman consume the drug in the presence of the physician.

-  Removes FDA guidelines from a provision concerning manufacturer instruction sheets and patient agreement forms pertaining to abortion inducing drugs.

-  Requires an ultrasound image of a pregnant woman's fetus to be provided:

        (1) to a pregnant woman for her to keep; and

        (2) at no cost or charge to the pregnant woman; in the event of fetal ultrasound imaging.

-  Requires certain information concerning the reversal of an abortion inducing drug to be provided to a pregnant woman in certain instances.

-  Requires a specified report to identify the: (1) facility; and (2) city or town; where required information concerning an abortion was provided.

-  Requires specified individuals to include, or to ensure the inclusion of, a copy of a pregnant woman's ultrasound report in the applicable patient file.

-  Prohibits an abortion clinic from receiving an annual license renewal if ultrasound reports are not included in a pregnant woman's patient file.

-  Provides that the written parental consent for purposes of abortion laws concerning an unemancipated pregnant woman less than 18 years of age must be notarized.

-  Prohibits the state department of health from renewing an abortion clinic's license if noncompliance discovered during an annual inspection is not remedied.

-  Prohibits the use of telemedicine to provide any abortion, including the writing or filling of a

prescription for any purpose that is intended to result in an abortion.

-  Makes conforming amendments.

As of February 23rd this bill has been referred to the Senate with sponsors Brown L, Houchin, and Rogers. There's a blazing keyboard in my side of this blog, so check back often, or subscribe so you won't miss any updates. HB 1577 is shaping up to further muddy the waters of what it means to be a woman in this bright red state of Indiana. Gear up, Ladies. We've got calls to make and letters to write to make our voices crystal clear on where we stand. It's all hands on deck.