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10/5/2022
By: Macy Mullin
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the case of Roe. vs. Wade, which has given states in the U.S. the ability to regulate or ban the ability for a person to receive an abortion. On September 15, the Supreme Court passed a near-total abortion ban, stating that having an abortion in Indiana was illegal. But one Owen County judge Kelsey Hanlon has blocked the the abortion ban that was put into action in Indiana.
Kelsey Hanlon was elected to be an Indiana State Judge on November 4, 2014. When the initial abortion ban was nearly passed in Indiana, Judge Hanlon was able to block the ban from effecting Indiana residents.
Kelsey Hanlon
Around 62% of people in the United States believe that people should have their own reproductive rights. But others also believe that the abortion of an unborn child should be treated the same as 1st degree murder. These decisions that are either considered wrong or right are always heavily debated by lawmakers. But for Judge Hanlon, the decision was clear.
“Regardless of whether the right is framed as a privacy right, a right to bodily autonomy, a right of self-determination, a bundle of liberty rights, or by some other appellation, there is a reasonable likelihood that decisions about family planning, including decisions about whether to carry a pregnancy to term — are included in Article I, Section 1’s protections,” Hanlon said. (Quote from https://www.pharostribune.com/)
Article 1, Section 1 is a part of the Indiana Constitution that states that all people have the right tho, "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."
“Senate Bill 1...materially burdens the bodily autonomy of Indiana’s women and girls by significantly and arbitrarily limiting their access to care. (It) does so by requiring women and girls to seek treatment at hospitals or ambulatory surgery centers that are majority hospital-owned. The huge majority of abortions are performed in the clinic setting..." (Quote from https://www.pharostribune.com/)
"...The evidence supports that the hospitalization requirement is likely to significantly limit the availability of the procedure (even for currently accepted rape and incest victims), will likely significantly increase the cost, and is unlikely to increase the safety of Hoosier women and girls,” Hanlon said. (https://www.pharostribune.com/)
Abortion clinics across Indiana are arguing that the Indiana Constitution protects the medical procedure, and how the requirement of hospitalization treatments could be upsetting to the women and girls in Indiana. Certain of these clinics have filed for lawsuits against this ban, and the blocking of the passing of the abortion ban was initially caused by the arguing claims of the clinics.
Judge Hanlon believes that the clinics will prevail in the overall legal battle. But others aren't so willing to let the bill slide. Even so, Judge kelsey Hanlon is willing to do what it takes to protect the rights of women and girls in Indiana.
This story has been very interesting to research and write, and I hope from this piece you gain your own opinions about the topic, and thank you for reading.
Contributor Bio:
Macy Mullin is a 14 year old girl who enjoys reading, listening to music, watching her favorite shows, and spending time with her friends and family.
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