The Latest on Abortion Legislation in Ohio
Abortion legislation is always changing and Ohio took this change to a whole new level in the year 2011. Ohio proposed many bills that sources say are “challenging the decision of Roe v. Wade.” (Wisnieski, 2011) These bills I have covered have either been a recent bill proposal, meaning they are not yet passed but are in the Ohio House or Ohio Senate, or they have recently just been passed in Ohio. I stated those bills, in which Governor John Kaisch has signed, if he has not yet signed it, it is not yet a law. The two most controversial bills are the “Heartbeat Bill” and the “Late-Term Abortion Bill”. The Heartbeat bill wants to ensure that no abortions can be performed when a fetal heartbeat can be detected. This is usually around six weeks and before women know they are pregnant. The Late Term Abortion Bill or “Viability Testing” was passed in July. This bill requires doctors to determine the viability of the fetus before they abort. If the fetus is viable, or able to live outside the uterus, then the doctor cannot abort the baby. Federal funding being reallocated to agencies that don’t perform abortions and refusal of the insurance companies to pay for a non-therapeutic abortion is also attacking the financial aspect of abortion. Governor John Kaisch just recently signed a bill into law on November 4th that restricts the ability of minors to get abortions without consent. This consent requires time and questioning with a judge assigned to the case to see if the minor can indeed have an abortion. Essentially, a judge must determine if the female is educated on the idea of abortion and must hear evidence regarding the minor’s maturity, intellectuality, and emotional stability. Lastly, a bill is in the review process on requiring women to get the consent of their significant other before aborting.
As for the Pro-Choice legislation in Ohio, the bills proposed are focused around preventative measures. The Ohio Prevention First Act and the Act for Our Children’s Future are both bills that seek to extend the sex education classes, increase family planning, and educate on preventative measures of pregnancy. The Contraceptive Equity Bill and The Birth Control Matters Resolution are bills that focus on the importance and necessity of birth control. These bills seek to increase insurance coverage for birth control and importance of the use of contraceptives through proper education. Lastly, The Compassionate Assistance for Rape Victims is a bill that focuses on rape victims and their options of care. This bill wants to ensure that all rape and incest victims get offered emergency contraceptives and proper education on the risks of sexually transmitted infections.
Overall, the abortion legislation in Ohio is a very controversial issue. Everyone has their own opinion on abortion, including the lawmakers themselves. In unbiased terms, it seems as if the legislation in Ohio that is pro-life is focusing more on restricting abortions by time limits and financial stipulations. On the pro-choice side, the legislation seems to be increasing awareness of birth control and sex education in America.
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The Latest on Abortion Legislation in Ohio
Abortion legislation is always changing and Ohio took this change to a whole new level in the year 2011. Ohio proposed many bills that sources say are “challenging the decision of Roe v. Wade.” (Wisnieski, 2011) These bills I have covered have either been a recent bill proposal, meaning they are not yet passed but are in the Ohio House or Ohio Senate, or they have recently just been passed in Ohio. I stated those bills, in which Governor John Kaisch has signed, if he has not yet signed it, it is not yet a law. The two most controversial bills are the “Heartbeat Bill” and the “Late-Term Abortion Bill”. The Heartbeat bill wants to ensure that no abortions can be performed when a fetal heartbeat can be detected. This is usually around six weeks and before women know they are pregnant. The Late Term Abortion Bill or “Viability Testing” was passed in July. This bill requires doctors to determine the viability of the fetus before they abort. If the fetus is viable, or able to live outside the uterus, then the doctor cannot abort the baby. Federal funding being reallocated to agencies that don’t perform abortions and refusal of the insurance companies to pay for a non-therapeutic abortion is also attacking the financial aspect of abortion. Governor John Kaisch just recently signed a bill into law on November 4th that restricts the ability of minors to get abortions without consent. This consent requires time and questioning with a judge assigned to the case to see if the minor can indeed have an abortion. Essentially, a judge must determine if the female is educated on the idea of abortion and must hear evidence regarding the minor’s maturity, intellectuality, and emotional stability. Lastly, a bill is in the review process on requiring women to get the consent of their significant other before aborting.
As for the Pro-Choice legislation in Ohio, the bills proposed are focused around preventative measures. The Ohio Prevention First Act and the Act for Our Children’s Future are both bills that seek to extend the sex education classes, increase family planning, and educate on preventative measures of pregnancy. The Contraceptive Equity Bill and The Birth Control Matters Resolution are bills that focus on the importance and necessity of birth control. These bills seek to increase insurance coverage for birth control and importance of the use of contraceptives through proper education. Lastly, The Compassionate Assistance for Rape Victims is a bill that focuses on rape victims and their options of care. This bill wants to ensure that all rape and incest victims get offered emergency contraceptives and proper education on the risks of sexually transmitted infections.
Overall, the abortion legislation in Ohio is a very controversial issue. Everyone has their own opinion on abortion, including the lawmakers themselves. In unbiased terms, it seems as if the legislation in Ohio that is pro-life is focusing more on restricting abortions by time limits and financial stipulations. On the pro-choice side, the legislation seems to be increasing awareness of birth control and sex education in America.