Subject: Indiana Abortion Restrictions Put Focus On Gov. Mike Pence

Gov. Mike Pence is once again at the center of a national debate over a divisive issue.

He must decide by Thursday whether to sign a controversial bill that further restricts abortion in Indiana, which already has some of the most restrictive laws in the nation.

The measure, House Enrolled Act 1337, would make Indiana the second state to prohibit a woman from seeking an abortion because her baby was diagnosed with a disability such as Down syndrome. It also would prohibit abortions when they are sought based on the gender or race of a baby, and would require the remains of miscarried or aborted babies to be interred or cremated.

The proposal has garnered national headlines and incited heated rhetoric from those on both sides of the issue. Supporters say it will protect unborn babies who can’t protect themselves. Opponents say it’s an effort to increase abortion costs and shame women for utilizing a legal medical procedure.

But questions remain about whether the bill will have much of a practical impact on the decisions women make or on Indiana's abortion rate, which has declined 20 percent in the past five years and is below the national average.

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