Women's Public Policy Network

Ohio

Stay engaged, involved, and up-to-date: 08/06/2018 Weekly Review

Tuesday, August 14th, 2018

Stay engaged, involved, and up-to-date: In the weekly reviews from the Women’s Public Policy Network, we look back on last week’s highlights from the WPPN, share updates on bills affecting women that are moving at the Statehouse, showcase weekly news clips, and provide calls to action on bills pending in the Legislature. Sign up for our emails to receive these updates in your inbox every week!

BLACK WOMEN’S EQUAL PAY DAY: PAY INEQUITY AT THE INTERSECTION OF GENDER AND RACE
Last Tuesday, August 7th, marked Black Women’s Equal Pay Day: symbolizing how far into the year a black woman must work in order to catch up to what a white man made the previous year. And while Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is over, the fight to close the wage gap remains active.
Often times, the discussion on the wage gap is exclusively focused on the gender disparities in pay. However, the intersection of gender AND race play a significant role in pay inequality, and we must address both the gender and racial disparities that hold back women from reaching their full economic potential.
We can sometimes get too caught up in the numbers and data behind the issue of equal pay; but let’s not forget the very real, consequential impacts that the wage gap has on the lives of women and their families. In our latest briefing, we explore what the wage gap means to women – particularly women of color – and their families. [Read the full briefing here]
WHAT’S NEW IN THE NEWS FROM THIS PAST WEEK

For a number of Ohioans, a job doesn’t mean health insurance

The Columbus Dispatch, August 2, 2018
Rewire.News, August 2, 2018

Opinion: Planned Parenthood belongs in federal Title X program

The Cincinnati Enquirer, August 5, 2018
The Columbus Dispatch, August 6, 2018

Opinion: Depressed wages, pension cutbacks hurt black women

The Cincinnati Enquirer, August 7, 2018

Telemedicine Could Help Fill The Gaps in America’s Abortion Care

Wired, August 7, 2018

A ‘Generationally Perpetuated’ Pattern: Daughters Do More Chores

The New York Times, August 8, 2018

Crisis Pregnancy Centers under scrutiny

Columbus Alive, August 8, 2018

The Powerful Voicemails Women Who Had an Abortion Left for Their Senators

Broadly, August 8, 2018

A paid leave plan cannot make you choose between kids or retirement 

The Hill (Opinion Contributor), August 9, 2018

The Doctor Doesn’t Listen to Her. But the Media Is Starting To.

The Atlantic, August 10, 2018
#OHLEG ALERT
We are tracking the progress of any state bills affecting women in the Ohio Legislature for the 132nd General Assembly. The House and Senate were out last week and will also be out this upcoming week for summer recess, but we do have some updates on new bills introduced:
  • Senate Bill 322(Lehner) – Crime Victim Assistance: Revises the eligibility rules for receiving crime victim assistance. The bill was introduced in the Senate on August 9, 2018.
  • Senate Bill 323(Kunze) – Sex Assault Kits: Requires the Ohio Attorney General’s office to create and maintain a tracking system for processing sexual assault exam kits. The bill was introduced in the Senate on August 9, 2018.
We will keep tracking any new updates and will be sharing timely legislative updates on women-centric legislation on Twitter using the#OHLeg hashtag.Follow us to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at the Statehouse.
RAISE YOUR VOICE TO #SAVESCOTUS
During Trump’s presidential campaign, he vowed to appoint only pro-life Judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade and dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Now, that threat is very real with Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill the open seat of retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.
Kavanaugh has a history of siding against women: ruling in favor of blocking a young immigrant woman’s access to an abortion; writing an opinion in favor of allowing employers to put their religious beliefs ahead of workers’ right to birth control coverage; and consistently ruling against workers seeking justice for employment discrimination.
And that’s just the information that we know about him. Senators still do not have all of Kavanaugh’s records, documents, and paperwork from his time in the White House.

The confirmation hearing for Judge Kavanaugh has been scheduled for September 4, and yet senators do not have all of the information they need to make an informed, fair decision on his nomination. We need your help to make that happen.

Ohioans must speak out and make their voices heard – but time is running out.
 
TAKE ACTION NOW!
There is so much at stake; we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines! The appointment of Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court could fundamentally shift the balance of the Court to rule against the constitutional rights of women, immigrants, LGBTQ people, workers and labor unions, and communities of color. And senators still do not have access to all of Kavanaugh’s records.
 
Contact Ohio Senators Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown and urge them to delay Kavanaugh’s hearing until Senators have an opportunity to review ALL of his records.

  • Senator Portman: (202) 224-3353
  • Senator Brown: (202) 224-2315