Indiana Approves Nation’s Strictest Abortion Ban, Large Employers Express Concern

Indiana became the first state to pass an abortion ban following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“Following the overturning of Roe, I stated clearly that I would be willing to support legislation that made progress in protecting life,” Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) said in a statement. “In my view, [the bill] accomplishes this goal following its passage in both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly with a solid majority of support. These actions followed long days of hearings filled with sobering and personal testimony from citizens and elected representatives on this emotional and complex topic.”

The bill, which does allow for exceptions to protect the life of the mother and some rape, incest and lethal fetal anomalies cases, was passed with overwhelming support by the state House and Senate.

Large companies, however, are taking a strong stand against the new law, which is set to go into effect on September 15.

One of Indiana’s biggest employers, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, is of them.

“Despite this lack of agreement, Indiana has opted to quickly adopt one of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the United States,” Eli Lilly said in a Saturday statement. “We are concerned that this law will hinder Lilly’s — and Indiana’s — ability to attract diverse scientific, engineering and business talent from around the world. Given this new law, we will be forced to plan for more employment growth outside our home state.”

Cummins, an engine manufacturer that employs 10,000 Indianians also released a statement condemning the state for passing the law.

“The right to make decisions regarding reproductive health ensures that women have the same opportunity as others to participate fully in our workforce and that our workforce is diverse,” the statement read.

“There are provisions in the law that conflict with this, impact our people, impede our ability to attract and retain top talent and influence our decisions as we continue to grow our footprint with a focus on selecting welcoming and inclusive environments,” it added.