Indiana will be in court again this week, defending its near-total abortion ban.
Friday’s hearing in Marion County is over a lawsuit that seeks to strike down the ban because it infringes on some Hoosiers’ religious freedom.
Indiana’s ban, SEA 1 (ss), only allows abortion if the pregnant person’s life or serious physical health is at risk, in some cases of lethal fetal anomalies and in some cases of rape or incest.
A group of anonymous Hoosiers with a variety of faith traditions argue the ban interferes with their religious beliefs. And they said it’s already affected their behavior as they take greater steps to avoid becoming pregnant.
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The state said those Hoosiers are trying to use their religious beliefs “to end human life.” It argued abortion itself is not a religious practice and that the only burdens are “feelings of anxiety and changes to contraceptive and sexual practices.”
A county judge previously halted the abortion ban because of a different lawsuit. That case is now headed for the Indiana Supreme Court.
Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.