On Friday, December 2, 2022 a Marion County judge issued a preliminary injunction against Indiana's near-total abortion ban, this time as part of a lawsuit that claims the ban violates religious freedom protections. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, also known as RFRA, prevents the government from impeding someone's religious exercise unless there's a strong argument in favor of the state's interest and that interest is advanced in the least restrictive way possible.
On Thursday, September 22, 2022 an Indiana judge blocked the state’s abortion ban from being enforced, putting the new law on hold as abortion clinic operators argue that it violates the state constitution.
On Friday, August 5, 2022 Indiana's new law restricting abortions passed the state House by a vote of 62 to 38 and the state Senate 28 to 19. The law went into effect September 15, 2022. The law allows abortions in cases of rape or incest BUT only up to 10 weeks after fertilization. Abortions are also permissible to protect the life of the woman and if the fetus has a fatal abnormality.
On June 30, 2023, the Indiana Supreme Court held that the constitution protects abortion in situations when there is risk to a pregnant person’s life or a “serious health risk.” Members of the Med. Licensing Bd. of Ind. v. Planned Parenthood N.W. Haw., Alaska, Ind., Ky., No. 22S-PL-338 (Ind. Sup. Ct., Jun, 30, 2023).
Indiana enacted a new total ban on abortion, which took effect on August 1, 2023, after the state supreme court vacated the injunction blocking the law.