One Decision And Its Life-Altering Impacts
by State Reperenstive Cindy Ledbetter
With state legislators heading back to the Capitol for a special session to return money to taxpayers, we will also seize the opportunity to save the unborn. For many, including myself, the recent and historic action of the U.S. Supreme Court returning the question of abortion back to the states by overturning Roe v. Wade stirs up waves of emotion. This is a personal issue, and one I relate to as I became pregnant at the age of 16. My teenage pregnancy, though unplanned and with me totally unprepared, made me who I am now. Most important, my child is living and making a difference in this world. Sadly, more than 50 million babies have been denied this same right and never took their first breath.
Becoming a mother at a young age, I did make sacrifices. As I vote to strengthen Indiana’s pro-life policies, I will also support increasing resources and help to Hoosier women and families.
In Indiana, we have been building up this support with the MOMS Helpline, by expanding access to health care for expecting and new mothers, and enacting the Safe Haven Law.
House Republicans recently announced a proposal to significantly increase resources for mothers before, during and after pregnancy. This legislation, which will be considered during the special session, creates more than $20 million in tax exemptions and appropriates more than $58 million to boost proven programs for mothers and families. With this investment, we will help mothers in crisis, increase the availability and affordability of child care, support community-based programs focused on healthy babies and families, and encourage more people to consider adoption.
This helps build on our past support for mothers, including a new law I co-authored to expand Medicaid eligibility for low-income Hoosiers. As care will also be extended from a 60-day period to a full year of coverage, more women will be able to receive critical medical care to ensure they and their children are healthy.
Mothers who need help accessing prenatal resources can call the MOMS Helpline at 1-844-MCH-MOMS or visitin.gov/health/moms-helpline. Parents needing free diapers in Indiana can visit indianadiaperbank.org. Additional help, including temporary financial assistance, can be found through Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration atin.gov/fssa.
My pro-life commitment comes not just from my experience as a mother, but also from science. I have bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing, and I am currently working on my doctorate. We should always make decisions based on facts. When Roe v. Wade was originally decided, we did not have the same data we do today. Ultrasounds were only beginning to be widely used during pregnancies. We now know children in the womb suck their thumbs, develop fingerprints, feel pain and joy, acquire food preferences and recognize their mother’s voice.
It’s only right that Indiana strengthens its reputation as one of the most pro-life states in our nation by further protecting the sanctity of life. We also must continue to increase resources for Hoosiers throughout all stages of motherhood and family planning. This includes access to affordable health care, and free or low-cost contraceptives. We can do more to make adoption more accessible, and the successful Safe Haven Baby Box program, which allows someone in crisis to safely surrender a newborn child, should continue to grow. This is how we respect and protect all life in Indiana.
Live hearings for the special session can be viewed on iga.in.gov. Stay updated on legislation through my e-newsletter, which anyone can sign up for at in.gov/h75. Please reach out at 317-232-9769 or h75@iga.in.gov.
FOOTNOTE: THE CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER POSTED THIS ARTICLE WITHOUT BIAS OR
 EDITING.
