Fichter: “This law is the first of many pro-life advances we expect to see during Gov. Holcomb’s tenure”
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb
INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 404 into law. SEA 404 protects minor girls, increases parental rights when a minor girl seeks abortion and helps victims of sex trafficking.
Most measures in SEA 404 will take effect on July 1.
“The pro-life community extends its heartfelt appreciation to Gov. Holcolmb for signing SEA 404 into law,” said Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life. “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.”
SEA 404 protects young girls by changing abortion reporting requirements. Currently the abortionist must send the required form to both the Indiana State Department of Health and the Department of Child Services if the minor is 14 or younger. SB404 raises the age for the reporting requirement to under 16 years of age.
The law increases parental rights by providing civil recourse if a parent or guardian discovers someone fraudulently posed as them to help their minor daughter get an abortion. In addition, merely saying one is a parent (or making a phone call) no longer suffices. An adult claiming to be the parent or guardian of a minor must provide government issued proof of identification and written documentation.
Judges who give a minor permission for an abortion will now notify the child’s parents, unless the judge has a valid reason to forgo notification.
Finally, SEA 404 assists victims of sex trafficking and those being coerced into an abortion by providing help information.