Indy Chamber Releases Statement on SB 1

Over the last two weeks, the Indiana General Assembly has debated a substantial policy change on the issue of abortion in a compressed timeframe. Such an expedited legislative process—rushing to advance state policy on broad, complex issues—is, at best, detrimental to Hoosiers, and at worst, reckless.  

The speed of that process has not allowed the General Assembly to craft solutions that address fundamental, unanswered questions, such as: 

• How will Indiana improve its poor infant and maternal health outcomes, particularly for women of color and women from low-income households? 
• How will physicians balance their legal risk against the health and well-being of women and infants?
• How will Indiana address critical workforce shortages, specifically for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals?
• Will Hoosier employers retain the right to set policies regarding employee benefits and health plans that are necessary to meet their employees’ needs? 
• How will Indiana retain and attract talent to grow its economy in today’s global labor marketplace?
• Will the Indy region continue to attract tourism and convention investments that contribute to the entire state’s economic outlook?  

The Indy Chamber urges the legislature not to proceed with SB 1. We ask that the General Assembly instead take time to listen to the public, consult with physicians and healthcare providers, and work to address these unanswered questions.