OHIO LEGISLATION
The 133rd Ohio General Assembly ended at the end of 2022. The 134th Ohio General Assembly began on January 1, 2023. All pending legislation that did not pass the 133rd General Assembly has expired. As new bills that deal with legislative issues pertaining to our mission are introduced, we will list them here along with our position on these bills.
SPECIAL NOTE: Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights (a group of 1,400 Ohio doctors, or about 4% of Ohio physicians) and Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom (including Planned Parenthood, the ACLU of Ohio, Pro-Choice Ohio, Preterm-Cleveland, Abortion Fund of Ohio, the Ohio Women’s Alliance, URGE or United for Reproductive and Gender Equity and New Voices for Reproductive Justice) have formed Protect Ohio Choice, a coalition that is aiming to put a proposed amendment on ballots on Nov. 7, 2023. While the battle to stop this is underway, there will probably be no new pro-life legislation introduced in Ohio. For more information on this dangerous proposal, click on the "Issues" tab on the Right to Life of Northeast Ohio website, and then click on "Abortion Ballot Initiative."
Check back here often for any possible new proposed Ohio pro-life legislation.
FEDERAL LEGISLATION The 117th Congress ended at the end of 2022. The 118th Congress began on January 1, 2023. All pending legislation that did not pass the 117th Congress has expired.
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION - HR7/S62 This bill prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions or for health coverage that includes abortions. Such restrictions extend to the use of funds in the budget of the District of Columbia. Additionally, abortions may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee. The bill's restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply in cases of rape, incest, or where a physical disorder, injury, or illness endangers a woman's life unless an abortion is performed. The Hyde Amendment provides the same exceptions. The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for abortions. Currently, qualified health plans may cover abortion, but the portion of the premium attributable to abortion coverage is not eligible for subsidies. The house versions has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. The Senate version has been referred to the Committee on Finance. Right to Life of Northeast Ohio supports this bill, but has requested that sponsors remove the exceptions.
BORN ALIVE ABORTION SURVIVORS PROTECTION ACT - HR26/S204 This bill establishes requirements for the degree of care a health care practitioner must provide in the case of a child born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion. Specifically, a health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as would reasonably be provided to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) ensure the child is immediately admitted to a hospital. Additionally, a health care practitioner or other employee who has knowledge of a failure to comply with the degree-of-care requirements must immediately report such failure to law enforcement. A health care practitioner who fails to provide the required degree of care, or a health care practitioner or other employee who fails to report such failure, is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. An individual who intentionally kills or attempts to kill a child born alive is subject to prosecution for murder. The bill bars the criminal prosecution of a mother of a child born alive under this bill and allows her to bring a civil action against a health care practitioner or other employee for violations. The bill has passed the house, and is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Right to Life of Northeast Ohio supports this bill.
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