Posted on Oct 25, 2023
A battleground for abortion rights: How this Ohio ballot measure became a bellwether for 2024
810
5
1
3
3
0
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/10/25/abortion-ballot-ohio-issue-1/ [login to see] 7/
The eyes of the nation are on Ohio as voters in the state head to the polls in less than two weeks to decide on an abortion ballot measure that has the potential to rock the state and send a message to the rest of the country.
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, abortion activists have been on a winning streak, with voters in six states either passing measures to protect reproductive rights or rejecting efforts to restrict them.
But next month, Ohio voters will consider Issue 1, a measure that would enshrine abortion rights in the state's constitution through viability, typically around 24 weeks gestation. After that, a doctor could perform an abortion to save the life or health of the pregnant patient.
The eyes of the nation are on Ohio as voters in the state head to the polls in less than two weeks to decide on an abortion ballot measure that has the potential to rock the state and send a message to the rest of the country.
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, abortion activists have been on a winning streak, with voters in six states either passing measures to protect reproductive rights or rejecting efforts to restrict them.
But next month, Ohio voters will consider Issue 1, a measure that would enshrine abortion rights in the state's constitution through viability, typically around 24 weeks gestation. After that, a doctor could perform an abortion to save the life or health of the pregnant patient.
A battleground for abortion rights: How this Ohio ballot measure became a bellwether for 2024
Posted from usatoday.com
Voting
Abortion
Medical
Health
Posted 6 mo ago
Responses: 1
1
1
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."'Afraid to be pregnant': Activists working to protect abortion in Ohio fear the return of restrictions
Activists supporting Issue 1 fear that failing to pass the measure could result in the reinstatement of the state's previous restrictions.
Kellie Copeland, executive director at Pro-Choice Ohio, told USA TODAY that some Ohio residents told her they were scared under the former six-week ban.
“There were so many people I knew who were pregnant at the time or had been struggling with fertility issues, were trying to get pregnant, and talked to me about how they were afraid,” she said.
“They were afraid to be pregnant in Ohio because they were afraid if something went wrong, that their doctor wouldn't be able to legally help them. And that just should never happen anywhere in the world, but especially a state like Ohio,” she said.
Even without the previous abortion measure in effect, Beth Long, a 34-year-old oncology nurse from Columbus, Ohio, still traveled out of state to get an abortion because she said her health insurance didn’t cover it in Ohio. Her daughter had Limb Body Wall Complex, in which organs would grow outside of her body.
“I can't imagine it being worse than what it already was for us,” she said, calling for Ohio to be a “safehaven for women of the Midwest."
Some of Ohio's neighboring states have implemented strict abortion measures since Roe v. Wade was overturned. For example, abortion is banned in Indiana except in cases of some severe medical emergencies, and in the case of rape or incest up to 10 weeks post-fertilization.
West Virginia and Kentucky have also enacted restrictions on abortion with narrow exceptions, such as severe medical emergencies."...
..."'Afraid to be pregnant': Activists working to protect abortion in Ohio fear the return of restrictions
Activists supporting Issue 1 fear that failing to pass the measure could result in the reinstatement of the state's previous restrictions.
Kellie Copeland, executive director at Pro-Choice Ohio, told USA TODAY that some Ohio residents told her they were scared under the former six-week ban.
“There were so many people I knew who were pregnant at the time or had been struggling with fertility issues, were trying to get pregnant, and talked to me about how they were afraid,” she said.
“They were afraid to be pregnant in Ohio because they were afraid if something went wrong, that their doctor wouldn't be able to legally help them. And that just should never happen anywhere in the world, but especially a state like Ohio,” she said.
Even without the previous abortion measure in effect, Beth Long, a 34-year-old oncology nurse from Columbus, Ohio, still traveled out of state to get an abortion because she said her health insurance didn’t cover it in Ohio. Her daughter had Limb Body Wall Complex, in which organs would grow outside of her body.
“I can't imagine it being worse than what it already was for us,” she said, calling for Ohio to be a “safehaven for women of the Midwest."
Some of Ohio's neighboring states have implemented strict abortion measures since Roe v. Wade was overturned. For example, abortion is banned in Indiana except in cases of some severe medical emergencies, and in the case of rape or incest up to 10 weeks post-fertilization.
West Virginia and Kentucky have also enacted restrictions on abortion with narrow exceptions, such as severe medical emergencies."...
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google