Legislation
Keep up to date on the latest reproductive health care issues in Ohio and find out how you can fight back.
Current Legislation:
As legislation is introduced, you will be able to read below for the latest information on legislation in the 136th Ohio General Assembly, which started January 2025 and will end in December 2026.
As legislation is introduced, we will provide ways for you to take action. You can subscribe to our emails to stay updated on the status of reproductive rights across Ohio.
This page was last updated on August 18, 2025.
Good Legislation
Legislation that PPAO supports and is working to pass.
Senate Bill 70: The Ohio Fairness Act
Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio introduced The Ohio Fairness Act on February 4, 2025.
The Ohio Fairness Act would protect LGBTQ+ Ohioans from discrimination in employment, housing, and accommodations. Ohio's laws do not currently protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
Dozens of localities in Ohio have taken the initiative to pass local versions of these protections. However, if you live in one locality and work in another, you can lose your rights on your daily commute.
The attacks against the LGBTQ+ community are not isolated incidents, but rather are part of a growing campaign from elected officials to dehumanize LGBTQ+ people.
Senate Bill 70 was referred to the Government Oversight Committee on February 12, 2025. The bill has yet to receive a hearing.
Senate Bill 73: The CROWN Act
On February 4, 2025, Senators Paula Hicks-Hudson (D) and Catherine Ingram (D) introduced Senate Bill 73.
The CROWN Act would make hair discrimination illegal and prohibit K-12 schools from penalizing kids for wearing their natural hairstyle. Natural hair is integral to identity, cultural expression, and individual expression.
Senate Bill 73 was referred to the Government Oversight and Reform Committee on February 12, 2025. The bill has yet to receive a hearing.
Senate Bill 78: Health Care Coverage
On February 4, 2025, Senators Paula Hicks-Hudson (D) and William DeMora (D) introduced Senate Bill 78.
Through SB 78, the Ohio Health Care Plan would provide universal and affordable health care coverage for Ohio residents, consisting of a comprehensive benefit package that includes benefits for prescription drugs.
Senate Bill 78 was referred to the Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Committee on February 12, 2025. The bill has yet to receive a hearing.
House Bill 29: Free Menstrual Products in Correctional Facilities
On January 28, 2025, Representatives Latyna Humphrey (D) and Marilyn John (R) introduced House Bill 29.
Period poverty is real and the carceral system vastly impacts Black, Indigenous, and people of color in particular. It is dehumanizing and demoralizing for anyone to not have access to period products.
The Ohio House passed House Bill 29 on May 28, 2025. The bill is awaiting a hearing in the Ohio Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee.
House Bill 415: The CROWN Act
Representative Juanita Brent (D) introduced The CROWN Act on August 13, 2025.
The CROWN Act would make hair discrimination illegal and prohibit K-12 schools from penalizing kids for wearing their natural hairstyle. Natural hair is integral to identity, cultural expression, and individual expression.
House Bill 415 has not been referred to a committee yet.
Bad Legislation
Legislation that PPAO does not support and is fighting to stop.
Senate Bill 1: Higher Education Destruction Act
Senate Bill 1 was introduced on January 22, 2025 by Senator Jerry C. Cirino (R).
Senate Bill 1 increases censorship at colleges and universities and weakens our education standards, particularly for medical students learning sexual and reproductive health care.
Attacks on higher education are deeply unpopular. Almost 2,000 Ohioans submitted opposition testimonies.
Senate Bill 1 defunds diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives that make campuses safer for students, staff, and faculty. The bill is also anti-labor and bans faculty from striking.
Under Senate Bill 1, colleges and universities are prohibited from taking any position on politically "controversial" topics such as climate change, electoral politics, foreign policy, DEI programs, immigration policy, marriage, and abortion.
Senate Bill 1 is now in effect.
Senate Bill 34: Historical Educational Displays Act
Senate Bill 34 was introduced on January 29, 2025, by Senator Terry Johnson (R).
SB 34 would require public schools to select from a set list of "historical educational documents" and then display them.
These documents do not represent the full history of our country. As the only non-secular option, the inclusion of The Ten Commandments is inappropriate and preferential to Christian religious values, directly conflicting with freedom of religion as protected in the First Amendment. SB 34 imposes religious beliefs on Ohio's students.
The Senate Education Committee held a fifth hearing for Senate Bill 34 on April 8, 2025.
Senate Bill 113: DEI Ban for K-12 Schools
Senate Bill 113 was introduced on February 25, 2025, by Senator Andrew Brenner (R).
SB 113 would ban diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives in all K-12 public schools.
SB 113 fails to define “DEI” and could lead to harm for students and educators with disabilities, students with IEPS, as well as students and families with language barriers.
Every child deserves to feel welcome, seen, and safe at school. Banning DEI initiatives only harms Ohio students and fails to prepare them for the real world.
The Senate Education Committee heard proponent testimony for Senate Bill 113 on March 25, 2025. A hearing for opponent testimony has yet to be scheduled.
Senate Bill 153: Attack on Ohio's Democracy
Senate Bill 153 was introduced on March 19, 2025, by Senators Theresa Gavarone (R) and Andrew Brenner (R).
SB 153 would threaten Ohio's democracy, overhauling more than 40 election laws and adding three new ones to suppress voting, block petition efforts, and saddle county boards of elections with crushing costs by:
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Blocking eligible Ohioans from registering to vote, particularly married women, young people, and working-class citizens, by imposing harsh citizenship verification rules.
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Banning most voter registration options by requiring proof-of-citizenship documents, shutting down online registration, and limiting registration to BMV and board of elections offices.
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Banning secure drop boxes, making it harder for Ohioans to safely return their ballots.
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Attacking the citizen petition process, silencing grassroots efforts to put issues directly before voters.
The Senate General Government Committee heard all testimony for Senate Bill 153 on May 27, 2025.
Senate Bill 156: The Conservative "Success" Sequence
Senate Bill 156 was introduced on March 25, 2025 by Senator Al Cutrona (R).
SB 156 would require all public schools to teach the “Success Sequence” to students in grades 6-12.
The sequence claims following these steps in order prevents poverty:
- Graduating from high school
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Getting a full-time job
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Waiting until marriage to have children
Success cannot be defined by a single, narrow standard. Every student deserves the opportunity to pursue a life that is meaningful to them. Whether one is single, married, with children, or without, all life paths are valid and valuable.
Rather than addressing urgent issues such as Ohio’s maternal and infant mortality crisis or improving economic outcomes for families, lawmakers are choosing instead to impose conservative religious values on all students, regardless of their own beliefs or backgrounds.
The Senate Education Committee heard opponent testimony for Senate Bill 156 on June 24, 2025.
House Bill 72: Ohio’s Alleged Anti-Death Penalty Bill
House Bill 72 was introduced on February 12, 2025, by Representatives Jean Schmidt (R) and Adam Mathews (R).
Ending the death penalty in Ohio is long overdue. However, conservative politicians and the Catholic Conference only targeted lethal injection drugs in House Bill 72—neglecting nitrogen gas—because their endgame is to restrict abortion.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio firmly supports the end to the death penalty, but we refuse to sacrifice our hard-won gains for reproductive freedom to do so.
House Bill 72 includes stigmatizing language about abortion because conservative politicians use bills like this as a Trojan horse to pass more abortion restrictions.
Ohioans deserve a clean bill that ends the death penalty. We cannot support a bill that targets abortion, falsely equates abortion with state-sponsored death, and pushes damaging abortion stigma.
House Bill 72 was referred to the Ohio House Judiciary Committee on February 12, 2025. The bill received a sponsor testimony hearing on March 5, 2025.
House Bill 87: The STORK Act
On February 11, 2025, Representatives Gary Click (R) and Roy Klopfenstein (R) introduced House Bill 87.
The STORK (Strategic Tax Opportunities for Raising Kids) Act would grant constitutional rights to an embryo at the moment of conception. Personhood laws like HB 87 are the next chapter of the anti-abortion movement because they open the door even further for investigation, criminalization, and prosecution of pregnant people.
This bill is yet another example of the Ohio Legislature attempting to undermine the Ohio Reproductive Freedom Amendment by validating fetal personhood under the guise of child tax credits. HB 87 is extreme, out of line with mainstream science and medicine, and out of touch with most Ohioans.
House Bill 87 was referred to the Ways and Means Committee on February 12, 2025. The committee heard proponent testimony on May 7, 2025.
House Bill 96: Ohio Budget
House Bill 96 is the Ohio Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.
The state budget poses serious risks and hurts Ohioans rather than provides the support we need. Republicans are misusing our tax dollars to undermine abortion, Medicaid, libraries, and public education—advancing their personal agendas instead of serving the best interests of Ohioans.
Among other provisions that attack essential diversity programs and gender-affirming care, this bill will strip Medicaid access from 770,000 Ohioans who received coverage with the 2014 expansion. The new budget will divert millions of taxpayer dollars to “crisis pregnancy centers,” entities known for spreading misinformation about abortion and lacking the ability to provide comprehensive health care.
Governor DeWine signed HB 96 on June 30, 2025. The budget is now in effect.
House Bill 249: Drag Ban for Minors
House Bill 249 was introduced on April 29, 2025 by Representatives Josh Williams (R) and Angela King (R).
House Bill 249, which would ban minors from attending drag performances, is a harmful and unnecessary attempt to further marginalize LGBTQ+ Ohioans and limit their ability to live authentically. Drag is a creative and expressive art form rooted in LGBTQ+ history.
Drag is protected under the First Amendment, and existing laws already prevent minors from exposure to explicit content. Many drag events are family-friendly, age-restricted, or clearly labeled for audiences, allowing parents to make informed decisions regarding their child’s attendance.
House Bill 249 is not about protecting children; it’s a political attack that seeks to stigmatize and marginalize LGBTQ+ people.
House Bill 249 received sponsor testimony on May 28, 2025 in the Ohio House Judiciary Committee.
House Bill 262: "Natural" Family Month
House Bill 262 was introduced on May 13, 2025 by Representatives Josh William (R) and Beth Lear (R).
House Bill 262 would designate the time between Mother's Day and Father's Day "Natural" Family Month.
The bill defines a "natural" family as one with heterosexual parents in a monogamous marriage with children they produced naturally. "Natural" Family Month excludes non-traditional, unmarried parents, single parents, adopted children, or LGBTQ+ families.
The timing isn't accidental: this periond overlaps directly with Pride, sending a clear message that LGBTQ+ families are less valid or worthy of recongition. "Natural" Family Month also coincides with World Infertility Awareness Month, further marginalizing families who don't or can't fit the so-called "natural" mold.
House Bill 262 is a blatant insult to non-traditional, unmarried, single parent, and LGBTQ+ families, purposely excluding their experience and validity in building a loving and stable family.
House Bill 262 received opponent testimony on June 10, 2025 in the Ohio House Community Revitalization Committee.
House Bill 299: Attack on Ballot Initiatives
House Bill 299 was introduced on May 20, 2025, by Representatives Brian Lorenz (R) and Kellie Deeter (R).
House Bill 299 is yet another attempt to overhaul Ohio’s election laws. Under HB 299, petition circulators must register with the Secretary of State’s office by providing a notarized application including their name, date of birth, and current address. Licenses would only be valid for two years, forcing circulators to repeatedly go through the same inconvenient administrative process.
These excessive and unnecessary bureaucratic steps serve only to discourage civic participation and make it harder for Ohioans to exercise their constitutional right to propose constitutional amendments and referenda.
House Bill 299 received sponsor testimony on June 10, 2025 in the Ohio House General Government Committee.
House Bill 324: Attack on Mifepristone
House Bill 324 was introduced on June 3, 2025 by Representatives Adam Mathews (R) and Meredith Craig (R).
The bill would restrict access to mifepristone, a safe and commonly used abortion medication.
Under House Bill 324, before a provider can prescribe mifepristone, they must see the patient in person, spread medical misinformation about mifepristone, and schedule a follow-up appointment.
In November 2023, 57% of Ohioans passed the Reproductive Freedom Amendment, clearly rejecting government interference in personal health decisions.
House Bill 324 was referred to the Ohio House Health Committee on June 4, 2025. The bill has yet to receive a hearing.
House Bill 347: Reinstating the 24-Hour Waiting Period
House Bill 347 was introduced on June 10, 2025 by Representatives Mike Odioso (R) and Josh Williams (R).
The bill would reinstate Ohio’s 24-hour waiting period for abortion care, undoing a key protection won through the Ohio Reproductive Freedom Amendment.
The 24-hour waiting period forces patients to take extra time off work, arrange additional childcare, and make multiple long-distance trips—especially burdensome for those traveling out of state.
In November 2023, 57% of Ohioans passed the Reproductive Freedom Amendment, clearly rejecting government interference in personal health decisions.
House Bill 347 was referred to the Ohio House Health Committee on June 11, 2025. The bill has yet to receive a hearing.
House Bill 370: Total Abortion Ban
Representatives Levi Dean (R) and Jonathan Newman (R) introduced House Bill 370 on June 18, 2025.
House Bill 370 would ban all abortions in Ohio—with zero exceptions for rape or incest. The bill criminalizes both patients and providers by treating abortion as homicide. HB 370 would grant legal protections from the moment of conception, threatening in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine devices (IUDs).
The bill is blatantly unconstitutional under the Ohio Reproductive Amendment.
House Bill 370 has not been referred to a committee yet.
House Bill 410: 'Defund' Planned Parenthood
Representatives Jean Schmidt (R) and Adam Mathews (R) introduced House Bill 410 on August 7, 2025.
House Bill 410 would ban abortion providers from receiving Medicaid reimbursements for any services.
This bill is an attempt by extreme, anti-abortion legislators to defund Planned Parenthood at the state level, despite existing attacks on the federal level that supersede state legislation.
House Bill 410 has not been referred to a committee yet.
What we're fighting for:
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio is a leading force in the fight to defend reproductive rights for all. Every single day, we work with our legislative allies, partner groups, and community members to make sure that abortion remains a safe, legal, and accessible service. We will continue to fight for that - no matter what.