Indiana Considers Fetal Homicide Bills
By micro99 at 3 February, 2009, 4:30 pm
Two legislators in Indiana have proposed bills that would increase the penalties for a crime in which a fetus dies, but they say the bills are not an attempt to change abortion state laws.
According to the Indianapolis Star, the bills would add up to 55 years in prison to a person convicted of a crime which caused a pregnant woman to lose the fetus.
The bills stem from a bank robbery last year in which a teller survived being shot, but lost the unborn twins she had been carrying.
The legislators say they have worked closely with a prosecutor to make sure the bills do not draw the ire of abortion rights groups. Betty Cockrum, president of Planned Parenthood of Indiana told the paper that she is concerned of some unintended consequences from the bills, but supports them.
“We are supportive of it moving forward,” she told the Star, “and truly pleased that they have spent a fair amount of time having the right discussions.”
According to the National Conference of State Legislators, 36 states currently have some form of fetal homicide law on the books with 19 of those states having laws which apply to the earliest days of pregnancy.
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