In the aftermath of a newly approved abortion prohibition bill, one of Indiana’s largest employees and oldest businesses will start searching for development prospects outside of the Hoosier State. The abortion ban may make it more difficult for Eli Lilly and Company to recruit “diverse scientific, engineering, and business expertise” to Indiana, according to a statement the company made on Saturday.
In a statement, Lilly said that as a multinational corporation with its headquarters in Indianapolis for more than 145 years, “we work hard to keep and attract thousands of employees who are vital drivers of our state’s economy.”
“Given this new law, we will be forced to plan for more employment growth outside our home state.”
Senate Bill 1, the legislation Lilly referred to, essentially outlaws abortions throughout the whole state with limited exceptions. On Friday night, the Indiana Senate approved the bill, and shortly after, Governor Eric Holcomb signed it into law. The restriction will take effect on September 15th.
The Lilly business intends to uphold all present Indiana agreements, a spokeswoman for the company told the Indiana Business Journal. IBJ reported in May that Lilly intended to invest $2.1 billion to establish two manufacturing facilities in Boone County.
IBJ reported that Lilly’s message, which was released on Saturday morning, was the business’s first remark to the public about the issue of abortion. The statement added, “Lilly knows that abortion is a contentious and very personal issue with no apparent consensus among the voters of Indiana.” “Despite this lack of consensus, Indiana has chosen to swiftly enact one of the country’s strictest anti-abortion laws,”
