Indiana governor approves bill requiring parental consent for minors seeking abortion

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has signed a bill into law that would require parents or guardians to be notified when a pregnant child under the age of 18 tries to bypass them to obtain an abortion.

Senate Enrollment Act 404 was approved by Holcomb on April 25 and is set to take effect on July 1, NWI Times reported. Under the new law, a judge who grants permission for abortion to minors will be required to notify the parents, unless the judge has a valid reason to forego notification.

The legislation would also allow parents to file civil lawsuits against adults who pretend to be the parents of their pregnant child to give permission for the abortion. Abortion facilities will be required to obtain identification from the adults who give permission to the minor.

It also bars any child who is a ward of the state to terminate their pregnancy, unless a doctor certifies in writing that it is "necessary to avert the pregnant minor's death or a substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function."

Holcomb said that he approved the bill because it was a "common sense" parental rights issue.

The move was commended by Indiana Right to Life President Mike Fichter, who said he expects the governor to sign more pro-life bills during his term.

"The pro-life community extends its heartfelt appreciation to Gov. Holcolmb for signing SEA 404 into law," said Fichter, according to Life News. "Gov. Holcomb is a dependable friend to the unborn and their mothers. This law is the first of many pro-life advances we expect to see during Gov. Holcomb's tenure," he added.

The legislation, which was passed by the House by a vote of 75–23 and a vote of 31–10 in the Senate, will change the abortion reporting requirements to the Indiana State Department of Health and the Indiana Department of Child Services from "less than 14 years of age" to "less than 16 years of age."

Additionally, the new law intends to help victims of sex trafficking and attempts to prevent them from being coerced into an abortion by providing help information.

Holcomb has managed to avoid a number of controversial abortion bills that did not pass the legislature, including a measure that was intended at outlawing abortions altogether.

The governor expressed his intentions to sign a bill that would protect religious freedoms in schools as well as a legislation that would allow the marijuana extract known as cannabidiol to be used for the treatment of epilepsy.