If Roe v. Wade is overturned, what will Indiana do?

Ind. (WPTA and WTHR) - With Indiana having a Republican majority in the legislature--it doesn’t take a legal or political scholar to tell you the Hoosier state would see abortion restrictions if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

But how far would those restrictions go?

“I think whether that means very restrictive or completely illegal is going to depend frankly [on] the dynamics within the state Republican Party, which controls all parts of state government,” said Steve Sanders, a professor at IU Maurer School of Law.

Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, a Martinsville Republican, told WPTA affiliate WTHR that the U.S. Supreme Court really does appear poised to overturn Roe v. Wade:

“It is good news and suggests Indiana will be in a position to improve our record as a strong defender of life. It is premature to say exactly what legislation could look like, given that nothing is final until the actual ruling is handed down, but we will continue watching this issue closely and be ready to act to improve protections for life.”

WPTA reported in March that Hoosier Republicans in both the House and Senate wrote a letter to Governor Holcomb, asking him to call them back into session if the U.S. supreme court rules against all or part of Roe v. Wade.

“As a state that recognizes that life is a precious gift that should never be neglected, it is our desire that you, as the Governor of Indiana, ensure those values are upheld without delay,” the letter reads.

And a pro-abortion rights think tank includes Indiana in a list of 26 states that are either “certain or likely” to ban abortion if overturned by the high court.

“This would be an interesting test of Gov. Holcomb, who has shown some willingness to stand up and defy the most conservative members of his party on some issues,” Sanders said.

For now, Holcomb won’t say what he’ll do.

“Before further commenting on a leaked draft document out of the Supreme Court, like the rest of the country, I’ll wait to review the official and final decision they release on the matter in the few weeks and months ahead,” Holcomb said in a statement released by his office.