Causes.com
| 11.8.23
Ohio Enshrines Abortion Rights in the State Constitution
Do you support Issue 1?
Updated Nov. 8, 2023, 9:30 a.m. EST
- Ohio voters passed Issue 1, the amendment that enshrines access to abortion and other forms of reproductive health care in the state constitution. Ohio is the seventh state to protect abortion access after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
- Lauren Blauvelt, co-chair of Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, which introduced the amendment, said:
"The future is bright, and tonight we can celebrate this win for bodily autonomy and reproductive rights."
What's the story?
- Ohio voters will decide whether or not to establish abortion as a constitutional right this Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7.
- If approved, the ballot measure, known as Issue 1, would enshrine abortion rights in Ohio's state constitution. It is the abortion-related measure being voted on this year.
- Many across the nation are watching the matter closely as the final vote will indicate whether presidential candidates will focus on mobilizing U.S. voters on abortion matters in next year's election.
Issue 1
- Issue 1, titled "The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety," would establish "an individual right to one's own reproductive medical treatment" in the state constitution. This includes decisions on abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, and miscarriage care.
- Under the amendment, any person who helps a patient receive reproductive care or medical treatment will be legally protected. It would prohibit Ohio from "directly or indirectly burdening, penalizing, or prohibiting abortion" before fetal viability, typically around 22 and 24 weeks of pregnancy.
- The state will be allowed to ban abortion after viability unless it interferes with protecting the health and life of the mother. The amendment puts the power of that decision into the hands of the patient's physician.
How did it get on the ballot?
- In June 2022, after Roe v. Wade was overturned, abortion rights advocates started putting the issue directly into state elections. In three states — California, Michigan, and Vermont — voters approved measures to enshrine abortion access in their state constitutions. In Kentucky and Montana, proposals to restrict abortion rights failed.
- In February, Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights submitted a proposal amendment to establish abortion as a constitutional right. By July, they received over 700,000 signatures to put the amendment on the ballot.
- In August, Ohio's board ballot adopted language for the measure, which was then fought by the Ohioan's United for Reproductive Rights group as they claimed it misled voters with terms like "unborn child." The Ohio Supreme Court decided to keep the use of "unborn child" in place of "fetus" on the ballot.
- Earlier this year, Ohio Republicans attempted to add barriers to changing the state constitution by requiring 60% of the vote. This was an indirect way to knock down Issue 1 before it had the chance for a vote. However, Ohio voters rejected the measure, allowing a simple majority to stay in place.
- On why they support the measure, members of the group said:
"Ohioans know that no matter how you feel about abortion personally, government should not have the power to make these personal medical decisions for the people you love."
Do you support Issue 1?
-Jamie Epstein
(Photo credit: 19th News)
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the Republican Cartel is running round talking about better messaging, new and better tactics, and new legal approaches to ban almost all abortions nationwide because of the Ohio Win in establishing Abortion rights,
The people have spoken and they don't care!
Rick Santorum said it best in a clip from a NewsMax (ugggghh) interview. He said the Ohio Republicans made a big mistake by letting the abortion issue come up for a public vote because 'pure democracy is no way to run a country'!
This profound statement reveals the mindset of the Republican Cartel and the ruling wealthy conservative activists that fund them. They feel that they are above the people that they supposedly represent, the fundamental tenant underlying any democratic governance, and that they need to pursue the will of the minority instead of the vote of the majority.
This admission clearly shoes the anti-democratic bias of the Republican Cartel.
What does the Constitution stand for other than a pure democracy?
Republicans need to stop diminishing our rites and freedoms. If they would stop being maga fools and return to their moderate conservativism I'd come back, but as it is now they have lost me, many of my friends and family.
It's unfortunate, but it's not unexpected. We don't live in a Christian country, so those of other faiths (or no faith) need to be accommodated. Trying to force bans on the public is putting the cart before the horse. Churches need to do a better job of changing the hearts of the people so that abortion becomes unthinkable. Doing it the other way around will never work. It's a good example of why we need moderate government that keeps radicals in check - maybe a ticket like No Labels that can govern from the middle and help this country depolarize.
Ohio!
This needs to be done 49 more times!
Should be on all states ballots!
While I support that abortion is a State issue, I would have liked to see a clearer definition of viable. While I am opposed to abortion, most Americans want access with limitations. A concensus needs to be hammered out, state by state. Many laws are different state to state and I think this will be the case with abortion and any restrictions.
I feel that abortion is an extremely personal choice that is affected by many factors, including age, health, finances, lifestyle, family support, and more. It needs to be a decision made with one's physician to determine method, risks, safety and potential long-term effects. There may be other people who are involved and concerned, but their wishes in most cases should be secondary to the needs/concerns of the pregnant woman.
I am glad to see that the citizens of Ohio recognize that healthcare choices should be made by the individual, and not limited by the state.
I am apalled that there are those in the Ohio (and Kansas) state governments who are putting their beliefs above the will of the people and are trying to find ways to overrule the decision the citizens of the states have made.
I do not support Ohio's choice to codify abortion. It is beyond my imagination that a woman would murder her own child. Why kill an innocent child? If one feels financially unable to care for the child, there are couples unable to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term, just praying for the opportunity to adopt. Why must the child be put to death? Abortion is NOT birth control. Birth control prevents conception. Abortion kills the child and the mother of the child will suffer for the remainder of her life. She will never forget what she has done. Because the hearts of some are overcome by evil and cannot distinguish right from wrong, all in our country will be held accountable for extinguishing the lives of these precious little ones.
I really have problem understanding why Republicans feel need to control women's rights. Especially if no abortion, then should force fathers to be part of financial support of the mother and the child. Or federal pays for the hospital costs of mother and child. Or if given up to adoption, ensure quality of adoption is very high by federal subsidy.
None of these are happening, so the answer is obvious.
Hurrah!
Hopefully, this will decrease maternal mortality in Ohio.
UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE AUGUST 21, 2023 RIGHT NEXT DOOR IN INDIANA, WE'VE GOT A NEAR TOTAL BAN ON ABORTIONS!
More women will die unnecessarily in Indiana...
Why do republicans hate women so much?
Abortion is the new child sacrifice.
CAUSES TELLS ME, THEN ASKS: " Ohio voters passed Issue 1, the amendment that enshrines access to abortion and other forms of reproductive health care in the state constitution. Ohio is the seventh state to protect abortion access after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Do you support Issue 1?"
ME: Don't live in Ohio, but if I did I would emphatically have voted in favor ot Issue 1. I absolutely support a woman's rights over her own body, and decry any and all attempts to curtail that. Good for Ohio!
Reproductive Healthcare decisions belong to the pregnant woman and her Doctor. No on else should have a say!
It is good to see people rejecting the Christian Nationalist Fascists. Time to tax all religious institutions
I'm pretty sure practicing medicine without a license is against the law, but for years politicians have pushed themselves into the private area between patient and practitioner with outdated and outlandish beliefs that get even more crazy the more we learn about biology and the human condition. Maybe doctors and the medical community should sue politicians for malpractice...
I am ecsctatic to see, once again, that Americans are voting for reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy and rejecting the draconian Republican policies of subjugation of women. Rs are on the wrong side of this issue, it is clear.
Man, the Christofascists living in their bubble, believing that they're somehow a majority must be fretting like mad this morning.
"But everyone I know and all the TV shows I watch agree with me!" 🤣
Abortion should be protected at the federal level to encompass ALL states.
Totally support this and Good for Ohio!!!!!! We should have this in PA as well!
The Tuesday results show Democrats will add abortion access referendum to every state in the country. Draws bigger turnout and upends Roe decision.
Republicans take note...
Taxpayers Money should not go to the States to support anything that has to do with Abortion!!!
And what would be better than Abortion/Murder would be PREVENTION!!! There are so many Contraceptives available these days that it makes absolutely no sense for unwanted or unintended Pregnancy!!! No Sense Whatsoever!!!
Abortion is Not Healthcare and it must Never be covered in Federal Govt Health Insurance Plans even Federal Employee Insurance Plans that are supported Financially in any way by the Federal Govt. Because THAT IS Federal Govt Taxpayer Money going to Abortion!!!
I am 100% pro life and I totally disagree with this, but it is the right of the people of Ohio to determine this. States rights is important and should be followed. as it so its states in the U.S. Constitution.
I absolutely support Ohio's amendment one. Government, politicians, have no place in deciding whether or not a woman should have a baby. They do not know how the child was conceived, they do not know the woman's physical, mental or financial situation. This is between a woman and her doctor. If you don't believe this, you should not be in office as you are not representing the female population of your state.
God bless Ohio. Lawmakers should know that women want the freedom to make their own decisions as to their bodies.