| Pro-Choice Legislation: |
| Adoption Loan Program |
| Bill Number: |
SB 30 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Passed by the Senate on June 19, 2007. This legislation is now headed to the Ohio House for consideration. |
| Sponsor(s): |
State Senator Eric Kearney (D-Cincinnati) |
Senate Bill 30, would allow the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to make loans to prospective adoptive parents from the interest earned on Ohio's unclaimed funds.. NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio’s mission is to support and protect, as a fundamental right and value, a woman’s freedom to make decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. Senate Bill 30 reflects these core values. For some women, the option of adoption is the right one—and we should do everything possible to provide the resources to support this decision.
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| Adoption Tax Credit Increase |
| Bill Number: |
Amended SB 20 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Passed by the Ohio Senate on March 21, 2007. Passed in the Ohio House May 16, 2007. Passed Concurrent vote in Senate on May 22, 2007. Signed into law by Governor Strickland May 31, 2007. |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sponsor Senator Clancy (R-Cincinnati). Cosponsors: Senators Gardner, Stivers, Faber, Mumper, Padgett, Schuring, Schaffer, Kearney, Miller, D., Roberts, Coughlin, Cates, Austria, Buehrer, Cafaro, Carey, Fedor, Goodman, Grendell, Harris, Mason, Miller, R., Morano, Niehaus, Schuler, Smith, Spada, Wilson, J., Jacobson |
Amended Senate Bill 20, would increase the income tax adoption credit from $500 per child to $1,500 and allows the tax credit to be take over three years so that low-income families are realize the full tax benefit. NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio’s mission is to support and protect, as a fundamental right and value, a woman’s freedom to make decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. Amended Senate Bill 20 reflects these core values. For some women, the option of adoption is the right one—and we should do everything possible to provide the resources to support this decision.
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| Ohio Prevention First Act (House) |
| Bill Number: |
H.B. 251 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Introduced in the Ohio House May 30, 2007 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Tyrone Yates (D-Cincinnati) and Jon Peterson (R-Delaware). Co-sponsors include: Representative Stewart D., Hagan R., Dyer, Foley, Skindell, Ujvagi, Stebelton, Miller, Koziura, Healy, Budish, Luckie, Yuko, Chandler, Strahorn, Letson, DeBose, Beatty, and Celeste. |
| Take Action: |
Click here to take action. |
Nearly 200 pro-choice activists rallied in Columbus at the Freedom of Choice Ohio Prevention First coalition lobby day on April 17, 2007 in support of the Ohio Prevention First Act. The Ohio Prevention First Act was introduced in the Ohio House on May 30, 2007. This bi-partisan bill, which was also introduced by Senator Morano in the Ohio Senate, will help prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion by increasing access to contraceptives and honest sex education. Specifically, the Ohio Prevention First Act includes the following proposals: Contraceptive Equity--This legislation will prohibit insurance plans from limiting or excluding coverage for FDA approved contraceptives or devices if the policy coveres other prescription drugs or devices. Honest Sex Eduction--This legislation will require sex education programs to provide students with medically accurate information about abstinence, contraception and condom use as ways to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. Sex education programs that do not follow these guidelines will not be eligible for state funding. Teen Pregnancy Prevention--This legislation will launch a teen pregnancy prevention grant program through the Ohio Department of Health to award grants to public and private entitites to establish or expand prgrams geared toward at-risk youth. Restore Family Planning Funding--This legislation will earmark $1.7 million in existing state funds for family planning purposes annually. Pharmacy Access to Contraceptives--This legislation will require pharmacies to dispense any prescription drug, device or over-the-counter medication in stock without delay and ensure that pharmacies do not intimidate, threaten or harass their customers while they are purchasing contraceptives. EC in the ER--This legislation would ensure access to emergency contraception for sexual assualt survivors in all Ohio hospital emergency rooms. It would also direct hospitals to provide survivors with information and medications to help them avoid infection from sexually transmitted diseases to which they may have been exposed during the assault. EC Education--This legislation would direct the Ohio Department of Health to distribute educational materials to the public and medical professional about emergency contraceptives.
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| Ohio Prevention First Act (Senate) |
| Bill Number: |
SB 179 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Introduced in the Ohio Senate on May 29, 2007. |
| Sponsor(s): |
Senator Sue Morano (D-Lorain) Co-Sponsors include Senators Fedor, Miller, D., Roberts, Miller, R., Smith, Sawyer, Cafaro, and Mason |
| Take Action: |
Click here to take action. |
Nearly 200 pro-choice activists rallied in Columbus at the Freedom of Choice Ohio Prevention First coalition lobby day on April 17, 2007 in support of the Ohio Prevention First Act. The Ohio Prevention First Act was introduced in the Ohio Senate on May 30, 2007. This bi-partisan bill will help prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion by increasing access to contraceptives and honest sex education. Specifically, the Ohio Prevention First Act includes the following proposals: Contraceptive Equity--This legislation will prohibit insurance plans from limiting or excluding coverage for FDA approved contraceptives or devices if the policy coveres other prescription drugs or devices. Honest Sex Eduction--This legislation will require sex education programs to provide students with medically accurate information about abstinence, contraception and condom use as ways to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. Sex education programs that do not follow these guidelines will not be eligible for state funding. Teen Pregnancy Prevention--This legislation will launch a teen pregnancy prevention grant program through the Ohio Department of Health to award grants to public and private entitites to establish or expand prgrams geared toward at-risk youth. Restore Family Planning Funding--This legislation will earmark $1.7 million in existing state funds for family planning purposes annually. Pharmacy Access to Contraceptives--This legislation will require pharmacies to dispense any prescription drug, device or over-the-counter medication in stock without delay and ensure that pharmacies do not intimidate, threaten or harass their customers while they are purchasing contraceptives. EC in the ER--This legislation would ensure access to emergency contraception for sexual assualt survivors in all Ohio hospital emergency rooms. It would also direct hospitals to provide survivors with information and medications to help them avoid infection from sexually transmitted diseases to which they may have been exposed during the assault. EC Education--This legislation would direct the Ohio Department of Health to distribute educational materials to the public and medical professional about emergency contraceptives.
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| Anti-Choice Legislation: |
| Mandatory Permission Slip Bill |
| Bill Number: |
H.B. 287 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Introduced on July 19, 2007, assigned to House Health Committee On September 10, 2007 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sponsor Rep. John Adams, Co-Sponsors- Representatives Wagner, Brinkman, Uecker, Huffman, Fessler, Wachtmann, Barrett, and Goodwin. |
This divisive anti-choice proposal would require a woman to obtain the written informed consent of the man involved prior to receiving abortion services. This invasive consent bill also requires that if a woman is unable to provide the identity of the man, a paternity test must be performed prior to receiving an abortion. Further, anyone in violation of this provision is guilty of the criminal offense of "abortion fraud," a first degree misdemeanor. This measure is a clear attack on a woman's freedom and privacy. This extreme bill shows just how far some of our state legislators are willing to go to rally a far-right base that is frustrated with the pro-choice gains made in the last election. It is completely out-of-touch with Ohio's mainstream values and NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio and our supporters will vocally oppose this bill.
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| Ohio Abortion Ban |
| Bill Number: |
H.B. 284 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Introduced 7/10/2007, assigned to House Health Committee on September 10, 2007 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Tom Brinkman (R-Cincinnati) |
HB 284 would completely outlaw abortion in Ohio, even when a woman's life was in danger, or the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest. A similar version of the bill was introduced in the Ohio House by Rep. Brinkman durring the last legislative session, but the bill died in committee. Rep. Brinkman is vocal in his hopes that this bill will be the test case that allows the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. This extreme bill shows just how far some of our state legislators are willing to go to limit access to critical reproductive health services in Ohio. It is completely out-of-touch with Ohio's mainstream values and NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio and our supporters will vocally oppose this bill, just as we did when it was introduced before. |
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