Continued Attacks on Reproductive Access

Since 2011, there have been a total of 19 bills signed into law in Ohio that restrict access to abortion and reproductive health care. These restrictions make it more difficult and costly – and sometimes even impossible – for women to access reproductive health care in the state.

In this current 132nd General Assembly, legislators have continued to advance restrictions with a number of new bans moving through the Legislature.  And as we head into the last week that legislation can be moved out of the Statehouse and sent to Governor Kasich to be signed before the holiday recess and end of the year, many of those bills are up for hearings or votes in the House and Senate.

Here’s an overview of the bills moving in the Legislature this week:

• HB 214 (LaTourette, Merrin) – Down Syndrome Abortion Ban: This bill would charge a doctor with a fourth degree felony if they performed an abortion procedure for a woman if the reason for seeking to terminate the pregnancy is in part due to a Down syndrome diagnosis. There is an identical Senate bill moving through the legislature right now, as well.
• HB 258 (Hagan, Hood) – Six-week Abortion Ban: Outlaws abortion at the earliest detection of a fetal heartbeat, which is as early as six weeks – at a time before many women even know that they are pregnant. This same legislation was vetoed by Governor Kasich less than a year ago.
  
• SB 28 (Uecker) – Abortion: Would require fetal remains from a surgical abortion at an abortion facility to be disposed of by cremation or burial.
• SB 164 (LaRose) – Down Syndrome Abortion Ban: This bill would charge a doctor with a fourth degree felony if they performed an abortion procedure for a woman if the reason for seeking to terminate the pregnancy is in part due to a Down syndrome diagnosis.