Gov. Pence expected to sign controversial abortion bill

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — State lawmakers passed a controversial abortion bill before they went home for the year.

But will the governor sign it?

Gov. Mike Pence gave a pretty good indication Friday.

The bill bans abortion if it is motivated by a fetus’ race, gender, ancestry or risk of mental illness.

For example, if you are a woman who learns that her fetus will have Down syndrome, you are prohibited under the bill from getting an abortion.

The governor reinforced Friday that he is pro-life but said he has not yet read the bill. It was passed on a vote of 60 to 40 in the Indiana House even though it never received a public hearing in that body.

Five pro-life Republican women got up to speak against it on the House Floor, and minority leader Scott Pelath made an appeal to the governor.

“I hope the governor finds it in his heart to veto that piece of legislation,” he said, “which really went beyond traditional pro-life and pro-choice issues. It was an attack on women who are enduring grief, who are enduring tragedy.”

During the 2012 campaign Pence pledged to sign any anti-abortion legislation that made it to his desk.

“We’ll give that very careful and thoughtful consideration in the days ahead,” he said Friday. “And we’ll come to a conclusion. But I do bring my belief in the sanctity of life to that, and that will inform the way that I evaluate that ultimately.”