'It’s mean, and it’s ugly': Indiana Senator Ron Alting on Indiana's abortion bill
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — After hours of heated deliberation between senators and disapproving boos coming from demonstrators outside of the Senate Chamber, the Indiana State Senate voted Saturday 26 to 20 in favor of passing Senate Bill 1, which would ban most abortions in the state.
The bill is now set to head to the Indiana House for a vote.
The two senators representing Tippecanoe County, both Republicans, split their votes. State Sen. Ron Alting voted against the bill, while Sen. Brian Buchanan voted yes. Alting's 22nd District encompasses Tippecanoe County; Buchanan's 7th District is comprised of White County and portions of Boone, Carroll, Clinton, Jasper and Tippecanoe counties.
More:Indiana Senate narrowly votes to ban most abortions. Bill heads to House.
After the votes were tallied, the Journal & Courier spoke with Rep. State Sen. Ron Alting, who had earlier expressed to the Journal & Courier his opposition to the current integration of the bill prior to the vote.
“I’m very disappointed, very concerned, very worried, particularly for women 16 years of age and under, minority women. This is a big setback because of the fact, not that I’m for abortion, but because of the fact that how they have it worded with rape and incest, is almost impossible for that young lady or for that woman to make a choice,” said Alting.
“So, who the winner is, is the rapist. It was said at the mic by two women at the mic today. Two female senators. Now the rapist can choose who he wants to have (as) the mother of his child.”
After the vote, Journal & Courier reached out to Buchanan 's office for comment and this article will be updated if a response is received.
SB 1 bans all abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when the pregnant person's life is at risk. Exceptions for rape and incest only apply within the first 12 weeks for girls age 15 or younger and the first eight weeks for pregnant girls and women age 16 or older.
At Thursday night’s session, the Senate passed several amendments, one of which would require women who want to receive an abortion due to rape or incest to have a signed and notarized affidavit. The amendment barely passed with a 24-23 vote after Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch broke the tie by voting for the measure.
“If somebody wants a lot of government, then they got it today," Alting added. "Big government, state government taking away rights. Taking away the civil rights of women. And really, as bad as this sounds, giving those rights to some pretty bad people out there in our state."
Alting, visibly shaken after the passage of SB 1, said he believed all of the red tape introduced into the bill will greatly affect poorer communities, communities of color and women who are unwilling to relive their trauma in order to get a signed and notarized affidavit.
“But let there be no mistake about it, facts are facts and opinions are opinions. And if you read the bill, it takes away the right of women who are raped or incest," Alting said, "particularly those of making a choice, not that all those choices will be that of abortion, but making a choice.
“And on top of that, putting them through the humility of getting documentation that you’ve been raped and getting it stamped and everything else. It’s beyond belief that we could be that cruel in a bill.”
Alting said SB 1 supports one innocent victim over another.
“This bill is a very, very mean bill. Attacking women that had no play in this. No woman in her lifetime asked to be raped or have incest. They’re as innocent as the unborn child that were trying to protect. They’re both innocent and this bill weighs heavy on one and forgets the other.
“Let me make it clear. This is not a pro-life bill, even pro-life wasn’t in favor of this bill or pro-choice, they were against it. This is an Indiana Senate bill, and it’s mean, and it’s ugly, and I don’t think it’s going to change in the House.”