The Ohio Department of Health has heard the case of whether to close down one of the only two abortion clinics operating in southwest Ohio. From our Statehouse Bureau Jo Ingles reports.
Last fall the state threatened to order clinics in Kettering and Cincinnati to shut down because they’re violating a 2013 law requiring they have written transfer agreements with local hospitals.
The attorney for the Kettering clinic is Jennifer Branch.
“The written transfer agreement is a piece of paper with a hospital and it’s just not a necessity to protect a patient’s health and the clinic has been operating just fine without one for the last 14 years.”
Abortion opponent Barry Sheets is one of many who attended the hearing.
“These facilities should not be operating without a license for five minutes.”
A federal judge has ruled the Kettering clinic can continue to operate while it fights to obtain its license.
There’s no timeline on when Ohio Health Department Director Rick Hodges will issue a final ruling.