A few weeks after nearly 57% of Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment on abortion access in Issue 1, House Democrats have introduced a bill to immediately nullify the state’s six-week abortion ban, which is on hold by courts.
The legislation would also nix some other laws that backers say are no longer constitutional.
The bill is sponsored by two Democratic representatives who are also doctors. Dr. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) and Dr. Beth Liston (D-Dublin) would also repeal limits on medication abortions, get rid of transfer agreements between clinics performing abortions and local hospitals, and would nullify a law requiring cremation or burial of fetal remains. It grants legal immunity for abortion providers, adds data protection requirements for patients, and makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against patients because of their reproductive decisions.
But the legislation does not speak to a state law that requires parental consent, or a court order, before a minor can get an abortion.
The bill is unlikely to pass, as Ohio’s Republican legislative leaders have gone on record saying the courts should decide the future of abortion-related laws.
