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Appeals Court Keeps Indiana Anti-Abortion Laws In Place, Temporarily Halts Earlier Ruling

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals indicated that Indiana will likely win its appeal to keep its anti-abortion laws intact. (Brandon Smith/IPB News)

A federal appeals court’s decision Wednesday means several, major Indiana anti-abortion laws stay in place, for now. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals halted an earlier ruling that struck down those laws.

The ruling from last month by federal Judge Sarah Evans Barker said that several abortion regulations were unconstitutional.

That included provisions banning abortion via telemedicine, requiring second trimester abortions to only be performed in hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers, prohibiting anyone but a doctor from performing medication abortions and forcing health care providers to give people seeking abortions scientifically inaccurate information.

READ MORE: After SCOTUS Decision, Some Indiana Anti-Abortion Advocates 'Cautiously Optimistic'

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Attorney General Todd Rokita appealed and asked the 7th Circuit to stop the effects of the ruling. The appellate court agreed and noted that the state is likely to win its case on appeal and get those laws permanently reinstated.

The case will still move forward with a full appeal.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.