Latest news with #ChrisDaley
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump Administration overturns Biden-era guidance on emergency abortions
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rescinded Biden-era guidance on emergency abortions under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). 'The guidance that had existed made very clear that when the health of the mother was at risk that abortion was an appropriate type of medical service,' Chris Daley with the ACLU of Indiana said. 'The guidance around EMTALA was particularly helpful in a state like Indiana, where the exceptions in the law in terms of the health of the mother to access abortion are so incredibly narrow.' 'The Biden Administration issued the guidance in 2022 to provide more of a cushion to physicians to make decisions that would save women's lives,' Jody Madeira, an IU School of Law professor, said. According to Madeira, the Trump Administration's reversal takes away that cushion from medical providers in states with total or near-total abortion bans, like Indiana. 'They risk prosecution under state law, perhaps they risk litigation,' Madeira said. 'They risk loss of license, if they, if they make, what others might consider 'the wrong decision.'' Democrats argue the move could cause confusion among physicians and ultimately delay care for pregnant women whose lives are at risk. 'Indiana is already the third worst state in the nation for maternal mortality,' State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) said. 'This is about saving women's lives at the hospital when their pregnancy goes awry. That's what it's about, and we're now making it harder for those women to survive.' A statement from the Indiana Hospital Association on the decision reads: 'Indiana hospitals have and will continue to adhere to all state and federal laws related to the limited circumstances when an abortion can be provided in Indiana including when necessary to prevent any serious health risk to the pregnant woman or to save the pregnant woman's life.' Last year, the ACLU of Indiana did not prevail in a lawsuit against the state over its near-total abortion ban. The organization is currently appealing the judge's decision in that case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers attempt to fix police buffer zone law
Members of a bipartisan interim study committee this week reviewed new criminal justice data and considered testimony about the need to combat a rise in juvenile gun crimes across the state. (Getty Images) A bill to revamp a buffer zone law for law enforcement passed out of committee 10-3 Wednesday. The original law, passed in 2023, allows police to push citizens back 25 feet from an ongoing investigation. It was challenged in two separate lawsuits; the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals issued an injunction blocking the law because it was unconstitutionally vague. That case was brought by a coalition of media outlets. Rep. Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville, is carrying House Bill 1122 to try to eliminate the vagueness. The new law would allow an officer to order someone to stop approaching if there is a reasonable belief that the person's presence within the 25 feet will interfere with police duties. Chris Daley, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, believes the change would allow reporters or other witnesses to unobtrusively record what is happening without that being considered interference. He was neutral on the bill — saying it is an improvement on the previous law, but the legal cases are still ongoing. Daley still thinks the 25-foot distance is too far. Evansville Police Sgt. Mark Saltzman testified in support of the bill, saying it has helped reduce intrusion on officers conducting an investigation at a time when assaults on police officers have risen nationally. He noted that other states have used Indiana's language to pass their own laws, including Florida's 'Halo law.' Plainfield Police Chief Kyle Prewitt said, 'We want safety in our communities, not just for our law enforcement officers, but for those who are impacted by crimes, those who commit crimes, the community as a whole.' He added that sometimes people standing too close can also overhear sensitive information relayed by officers, victims and suspects. 'There's also a modicum of decency that we should be observing as society as a whole,' Prewitt said. Three Democrats opposed the bill with all Republicans in support. Rep. Robin Shackleford, D-Indianapolis, said she initially supported the law in committee but then received pushback from her community. She said many of her constituents don't trust law enforcement and 25 feet is too far to 'make sure everyone is accountable.' Lawmakers heard concerns about witness recordings in an interim committee in 2022 and in committee discussion in 2023. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
