INDIANAPOLIS — One of the largest employers and oldest companies in Indiana will begin looking for expansion opportunities outside of the Hoosier State in the wake of a recently passed abortion ban bill.
Eli Lilly and Co. released a statement Saturday that said the abortion ban may hurt the company’s ability to bring in “diverse scientific, engineering and business talent” to Indiana.
“As a global company headquartered in Indianapolis for more than 145 years, we work hard to retain and attract thousands of people who are important drivers of our state’s economy,” Lilly’s statement read.
“Given this new law, we will be forced to plan for more employment growth outside our home state.”
Eli Lilly and Co.
The law referenced by Lilly, Senate Bill 1, is a near-total statewide abortion ban with few exceptions. The bill was passed by the Indiana Senate on Friday night and signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb shortly after. The ban is set to go into effect on Sept. 15.
A Lilly spokeswoman told the Indiana Business Journal that the company plans to honor all current Indiana commitments. In May, IBJ reported that Lilly announced plans to spend $2.1 billion to open two Boone County manufacturing sites.
Lilly’s statement, which was sent out on Saturday morning, was the company’s first public comment on the topic of abortion, IBJ wrote.
“Lilly recognizes that abortion is a divisive and deeply personal issue with no clear consensus among the citizens of Indiana,” the statement read. “Despite this lack of agreement, Indiana has opted to quickly adopt one of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the United States.”