Bill > HB1334

This bill expands legal protections for unborn children by redefining "human being" and "child" to include fetuses from the moment of fertilization, effectively treating unborn children as legal persons across various criminal and civil statutes. The bill removes previous legal provisions that exempted certain actions involving fetuses, such as abortion-related statutes, and repeals the crime of feticide. Key changes include modifying definitions to encompass unborn children at all stages of development, removing language that previously excluded abortion-related actions from homicide and battery laws, and adding new sections specifying that homicide and battery chapters apply to unborn children with the same legal protections as born individuals. The bill provides exceptions for life-saving medical procedures and spontaneous miscarriages, and clarifies that the mother of an unborn child has specific legal protections in cases involving offenses against the unborn child. Additionally, the bill adjusts the duress defense to account for these new legal definitions, ensuring that the law recognizes unborn children as having legal rights while maintaining certain medical and personal protections.

Justice

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/house/1334/details