(Newser)
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Indiana’s House voted overwhelmingly yesterday to approve one of the country’s strictest anti-abortion laws, but not before some emotional battles with Democrats trying to temper it, the Indianapolis Star reports. One fight that caught Think Progress’ eye: On Tuesday, Democrat Gail Riecken introduced an amendment that would exempt women who were the victims of rape or incest, or whose health was in danger, from the bill’s restrictions, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks. The bill’s sponsor dismissed that as a “giant loophole.”
“Someone who is desirous of an abortion could simply say that they’ve been raped or there’s incest,” Eric Turner reasoned. That enraged Democrat Linda Lawson to the point of tears. “I was a sex crimes investigator for six years,” she said. “Women don’t make this up!” The amendment was shot down 42 to 54. Republicans also defeated an amendment that would remove language from the bill requiring doctors to tell patients that abortions increase their risk of breast cancer, which Democrats complained was not “evidence-based.”
