(Indianapolis, IN) - Another abortion argument has been settled, this time out of court.

 

The Indiana Attorney General’s Office has reached an agreement with the state’s Department of Health to make abortion reports available. A South Bend pro-life group, Voices for Life, sued to obtain access to Termination of Pregnancy Reports (TPRs) to verify that abortions are being performed according to the state’s new strict limitations. But health department officials claimed that TPRs are confidential medical records, even though the reports had been previously available.

 

Last month newly-elected Governor Mike Braun issued an executive order requiring health care providers to submit TPRs and cooperate with the Attorney General’s Office. Attorney General Todd Rokita had already issued an official legal opinion that withholding TPRs is a violation of the Indiana Access to Public Records Act.

 

In the settlement announced Monday, the state agrees to comply with lawful requests for the reports, which will have minimal redactions to protect anonymity.

 

In a statement, Melanie Garcia Lyon, Executive Director of Voices for Life, thanked the Thomas More Society, whose attorneys litigated the action. “The public release of these reports is a victory for vulnerable women and children in Indiana,” she added. “Access to these reports will help ensure abortionists are held accountable for violating health and safety regulations.”

 

State health department officials did not issue a statement following the settlement.