Abortion Reports to Remain Inaccessible to Public in Indiana

Indiana’s health commissioner is barred from releasing terminated pregnancy reports to the public under the state’s public records act, after a state appeals court said they’re likely exempt from disclosure.

Statutorily required reports for each abortion a health-care provider performs likely are “patient records” immune from disclosure under the Access to Public Records Act, the Indiana Court of Appeals said Dec. 5. Judge L. Mark Bailey’s opinion affirmed an order prohibiting the state’s health agency from releasing such records pursuant to information requests made under the statute until a trial on the merits.

Anti-abortion states and activists have started ...