Voters in Ohio today will decide on amending the Constitution of the State of Ohio to establish an “individual right” to abortion. Ohio Issue 1 on the ballot today “would establish an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion.” Amendments to the state constitution need only a simple majority to pass, and if enacted it will take effect 30 days after the election. The current law in Ohio permits abortion up to 20 weeks.
Lauren Blauvelt of Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom wrote, “The people of Ohio overwhelmingly support abortion access and keeping the government out of our personal lives. This citizen-led amendment will do just that: through our deep community partnerships and long history of protecting reproductive freedom and providing access to healthcare, this campaign puts the power back in the hands of the people of Ohio, so everyone has the freedom to prevent, continue, or end a pregnancy should they decide.”
Ohio Black Faith and Community Leaders wrote, “We can only hope the abortion industry will one day be held to account for its dark history and depraved legacy, but in the meantime, we cannot allow it to continue pushing an agenda driven by racism and greed. Unfortunately, Issue 1 does just that. It is more extreme than Roe v. Wade, and it will allow for painful, late-term abortions through all nine months of pregnancy — even after an unborn baby can feel pain. It will permit our children to undergo abortions without parents knowing. And it will continue to rob generations of Black women and men of the insurmountable joy of parenthood.”
Ohio State Representative Melanie Miller and State Senators Kristina Roegner and Michele Reynolds released a statement opposing Issue 1.
If the amendment is approved by voters, it will establish abortion on demand in the State of Ohio through all nine months, allowing late-term abortions, and will permit abortion on the basis of a child’s sex, race, or disability, according to the above-mentioned statement. Issue 1 also legally protects any person or entity that assists a person seeking an abortion.
