The people demand that the Ohio Legislature immediately retire the Family Planning Defunding bills HB298 and SB201, as well as the "Heartbeat Bill," HB125.
Ohioans are tired of the War on Women, and we're not going to allow the GOP to take us backward.
If the Legislature is concerned with the health and well-being of women and children, and if the Legislature is genuinely interested in preventing unintended pregnancies, abortion, and unwanted children, then the following bills should be advanced right away:
SB 190 / HB 281 The Ohio Prevention First Act
SB 232 / HB 338 The Act for Our Children's Future
SB 283 / HB 419 The Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act
Why is this important?
Despite the state of Ohio going blue for President Obama and rejecting Josh Mandel's extremist position on reproductive health, our representatives are not only plowing ahead with their plan to criminalize abortion without exception: defunding Planned Parenthood also remains at the top of their list, despite the fact that it does more to prevent unintended pregnancy - and therefore abortion - than any other organization in the entire country.
Not only will the loss of Planned Parenthood lead to even more pregnancy and abortion, it's close relative known as the Heartbeat Bill would make abortion illegal as early as six weeks. Most women will not even know they are pregnant until it's too late - leading to dangerous illegal abortions claiming the lives of our loved ones.
Ohio needs to focus on healthy prevention, not outdated shame and punishment.
