Ohio

What's Happening in North Ohio?

As of now, individuals who are seeking an abortion must receive state-mandated counseling 24 hours before receiving an abortion. This counseling is designed to discourage the individual from continuing with the procedure. Medicated abortions must be provided following the FDA protocol. Most patients also undergo an ultrasound so that the provider can check for a fetal heartbeat. The patient must be given the option to view the ultrasound. Programs that are offered under the state's exchange for the Affordable Care Act and public employee insurance only cover abortion in cases of rape, incest or life endangerment. Abortions cannot be performed after 20 weeks unless it is a case of life endangerment. Abortions can also not be performed in response to a genetic anomaly. Finally, abortion clinics are required to meet unnecessarily burdensome standards in relation to their facilities, equipment and staff. Although there are no trigger laws to immediately ban abortions in the case that Roe v. Wade is overturned by the Supreme Court, Ohio will still be subject to laws that greatly diminish an individual's right to choose. Future legislation in this state could create a complete ban on abortions.

In the Legislature

House Bill 378: This bill sought to revise the pretreatment notice regarding information about reversing a medicated mifepristone abortion. This bill did not make it out of committee.

House Bill 480: This bill is similar to the Texas legislation in that it would enable individuals to bring civil suits against those who helped a woman obtain an abortion, either by supplying the medical procedure or helping with funding. This bill did not pass.

House Bill 598: This bill would would ban all abortions in Ohio except for those that are done to "save the life of the mother." The bill would also ban medications, devices and instruments that are created for the purpose of abortion.

In the Courts

Ohio has passed several pieces of legislation within recent years that have been contested in court. These pieces of legislation included stipulations on the disposal of fetus remains and bans on telemedicine for medicated abortions. Most recently, House Bill 157 was blocked in the courts. This bill would have prevented doctors who are associated with public medical schools from volunteering or working with abortion clinics. To read more about these cases, click HERE.