So much for “the Kasich Jobs 2.0” budget….
Last night, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed his state budget—which included a number of anti-women’s health provisions including language designed to defund Planned Parenthood, TRAP restrictions, and a mandatory ultrasound requirement for women seeking an abortion.
Just like Governor Perry in Texas, politicians in Ohio knew they couldn’t pass unpopular anti-women’s health measures if they played by the rules. So instead, they buried these provisions in the must-pass state budget. Gynotician-in-resident, Governor Kasich, had the opportunity to line-item veto these extreme measures, but instead chose to ignore the will of Ohio women—including the 17,000 who signed petitions and the hundreds who showed up at the capitol.
Kasich’s signature comes upon new polling released last week, showing that more than half of Ohio voters opposed the provisions reallocating family planning funds from family planning providers and prohibiting public hospitals from having transfer agreements with abortion providers, now signed into state law. Nevertheless, his decision to sign these restrictions into law should come as no surprise considering the budget is only the latest in a series of restrictive laws signed by Governor Kasich—since 2011 he has signed seven abortion restrictions that have hurt the women in the state who need more access to health care, not less.
The fight is far from over, with some bills still pending in the legislature. As long as politicians continue to try turn back the clock on women’s health and restrict women's rights, we will keep fighting for Ohio women.
Tags: Abortion, State Fights, Ohio, TRAP, Governor Kasich