2021-2022 Legislation
The bills below were introduced in the 134th Ohio General Assembly, which started January 2021 and ended December 2022.
Good Legislation
Legislation that PPAO supported in the 134th General Assembly.
Senate Bill 119: Ohio Fairness Act
Introduced in March 2021, the Ohio Fairness Act would protect LGBTQ+ Ohioans from discrimination in employment, housing and accommodations. Ohio’s state 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.
It was referred to the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee on March 10, 2021.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 142: Medicaid Doula Reimbursements
In February 2021, Rep. Erica C. Crawley (D) and Rep. Thomas Brinkman Jr. (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio House that would allow Medicaid to provide reimbursement for doula services.
Every pregnant person should have access to a doula, no matter their income. Doulas provide needed health education, advocacy, and physical and emotional support for pregnant people before, during, and after childbirth.
It was passed out of the House on June 1, 2022 and was assigned to the Ohio Senate Health Committee on November 15, 2022.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 208: Ohio Fairness Act
Introduced in March 2021, the Ohio Fairness Act would protect LGBTQ+ Ohioans from discrimination in employment, housing and accommodations. Ohio’s state laws do not currently protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
33 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.
It was introduced in the Ohio House with bipartisan support by Rep. Brett Hillyer (R) and Rep. Michael Skindell (D). It was assigned to the Ohio House Commerce and Labor Committee on March 17, 2021. It received its first hearing on November 29, 2022.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
Bad Legislation
Legislation that PPAO did not support in the 134th General Assembly.
Senate Bill 16: Anti-Protest Bill
Introduced on January 26, 2021, Senate Bill 16 is an anti-democracy bill targeted to punish protesters with new and intensified charges. This bill drastically increases penalties for protest while also broadening what is considered punishable.
Passing this bill would allow police to not only charge more Ohioans for exercising their freedom of speech, but this law would drastically increase the consequences of the charge the peaceful protester would face. Additionally, this bill targets organizations who assist in planning or promoting a protest.
It was passed out of the Ohio Senate on June 2, 2021 and was assigned to the Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee where it received a third hearing on March 8, 2022.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
Senate Bill 123: Anti-Abortion Trigger Ban
On March 9th, 2021, Sen. Kristina Roegner (R) and Sen. Sandra O'Brien (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio Senate to ban all abortions if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
‘Trigger’ bans like these are not about protecting people – they are about taking away access and spreading misinformation. We cannot and will not accept a world where safe, legal reproductive health care depends on where you live.
This bill was referred to the Ohio Senate Health Committee on March 10, 2021. It received a second hearing on Wednesday, October 27, 2021. You can view the recap here.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
Senate Bill 132: Trans Athlete Ban
In March 2021, Sen. Kristina Roegner (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio Senate that would ban transgender young people from participating in school sports (K-12). This bill's ultimate goal is to invalidate, ignore, and dehumanize the reality of transgender and gender non-binary identities.
No matter where we are from, what we look like, or who we voted for, Ohioans want our kids to grow up instilled with the important life lessons sports teaches—leadership, confidence, self-respect, and what it means to be part of a team.
Trans kids who grow up in Ohio deserve the same experiences, opportunities, and respect that other kids have. Every Ohioan benefits when we all have the ability and resources to thrive.
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee on March 17, 2021. It did not receive any hearings.
The bill did not pass before conclusion of the 134th General Assembly
Senate Bill 157: Medical Interference Act
In April 2021, Senators Terry Johnson (R) and Stephen A. Huffman (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio Senate that would create another opportunity to push a false and inflammatory narrative around reproductive health care in the state. Anti-abortion politicians use "born alive" bills as messaging opportunities to push their inflammatory rhetoric. They use these types of symbolic policies to create a platform to talk about abortion late in pregnancy and "infanticide."
This legislation includes a dangerous amendment that will force all abortion providers in Southwest Ohio to close.
This legislation was passed out of the Ohio House of Representatives (59-33) and signed promptly by Governor DeWine on December 22, 2021.
On March 2, 2022, an Ohio judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking the premature enforcement of Senate Bill 157. An Ohio judge blocked the enforcement of this bill on April 15 and then again on June 17.
This is a win for abortion providers and patients, but our fight is far from over.
Senate Bill 216
Introduced in August 2021 by Sen. Terry Johnson (R), Senate Bill 216 is part of a startling trend aimed at using pregnancy as an excuse to surveil and criminalize people.
This bill would subject parents and pregnant people to severe penalties—including potentially losing custody—if their child is deemed to be a “drug-exposed infant.” Extreme policies like this are the wrong approach to support families—they are bad for parents and children.
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee and received its third hearing on February 8, 2022.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
Senate Bill 304: Attack on Medication Abortion
Introduced on March 1, 2022 by Senator Stephen A. Huffman — this legislation would require the Board of Pharmacy in Ohio to create a certification program to oversee and regulate the provision of “abortion-inducing drugs.” Manufacturers or distributors could then only transport or supply abortion-inducing drugs to providers if certified to do so under these state-run programs. This bill would prohibit all mailing of medication abortion pills to patients.
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio Senate Health Committee and did not receive any hearings.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 61: Trans Athlete Ban
In February 2021, Rep. Jena Powell (R) and Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio House that would ban transgender young people from participating in school sports (K-12). This bill's ultimate goal is to invalidate, ignore, and dehumanize the reality of transgender and gender non-binary identities.
The same Ohio Republicans who continue to fail to give Ohioans pandemic relief are instead focusing on banning transgender kids from school sports. Trans kids who grow up in Ohio deserve the same experiences, opportunities, and respect that other kids have. Every Ohioan benefits when we all have the ability and resources to thrive.
This bill received its second hearing in the Ohio House Primary and Secondary Education Committee on June 24, 2021.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 294: Anti-Voting
In May 2021, Rep. Bill Seitz (R) and Rep. Sharon A. Ray (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio House that would make it harder for Ohioans to vote.
If passed, it would cut down early voting times, severely limit ballot drop boxes, stiffen voter ID requirements, limit access to mail-in ballots, and force most Ohioans to pay for postage on mail-in ballots and ballot request forms. While this legislation would improve voter registration and allow voters to request their mail-in ballot online, it is one step forward but three steps back. We cannot support any legislation that will make it more difficult to vote.
This legislation was passed out of the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee on December 12, 2022. It went to the Ohio House of Representatives for a vote.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Joint Resolution 6: Attacking Ballot Initiatives
On November 17, 2022, HJR 6 was introduced by Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
This bill would require all public-led ballot initiatives to receive a supermajority (60%) of votes instead of a simple majority at 50% to pass.
Through the ballot initiative process, Ohioans have delivered real wins for the people across this state. In order to keep the power in the hands of the people--not the politicians and lobbyists at the Statehouse--we must protect our ability to amend the state constitution through majority rule.
This legislation was passed out of the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee on December 12, 2022. It went to the Ohio House of Representatives for a vote.
The resolution did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 378: Medical Misinformation Act
On July 15, 2021, Rep. J. Kyle Koehler (R) and Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio House that would force health care providers to lie to their patients.
House Bill 378, if passed, would force trusted health care providers to spread more misinformation about abortion care, claiming that you can interrupt the medication abortion process. A medication abortion is a safe and effective way of ending a pregnancy. It is a combination of two medications that are safer than Tylenol.
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio House Health Committee on September 16, 2021. It received a second hearing on March 22, 2022. You can view the recap here.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 454: Health Care Ban for Trans Minors
On October 19, 2021, Rep. Gary Click (R) and Rep. Diane Grendell (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio House that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender and non-binary youth ─ regardless of parental consent, wishes of the patient, diagnosis, or previous care-plan.
House Bill 454, if passed, would directly attack transgender children who, like any other children, have the best chance to thrive when they are supported and can get the health care they need.
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio House Families, Aging, and Human Services Committee and received its fifth hearing on November 16, 2022.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 480: Total Ban on Abortion
On November 2, 2021, Rep. Jena Powell (R) and Rep. Thomas Hall (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio House that would make abortion at any stage of pregnancy illegal in Ohio and would extend all protections under Ohio law for “persons” to fertilized eggs starting at conception.
House Bill 480, if passed, could restrict access to a wide range of reproductive health care—not just abortion, but in-vitro fertilization and contraception—and it could be used to criminalize patients who experience miscarriage.
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio House Families, Aging, and Human Services Committee on November 9, 2021.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 598: Anti-Abortion Trigger Ban
On March 15, 2022 Rep. Jean Schmidt (R) introduced a bill in the Ohio House to ban all abortions when the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee and received its third hearing on May 26, 2022. You can view the recap here.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 616: Don't Say Gay + Curriculum Ban
On April 4, 2022, Rep. Mike Loychik (R) and Rep. Jean Schmidt (R) introduced a bill that pairs some of the most harmful parts of Ohio's Curriculum, H.B. 327, with an even more drastic version of Florida's Don't Say Gay Bill. This legislation is so broad that it could censor regular conversations about the experiences and families of LGBTQ+ Ohioans, even at high schools.
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio House State and Local Government Committee and received its first hearing on May 31, 2022.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 703: Anti-Choice Holiday Observance
On July 11, 2022, Rep. Jena Powell (R) and Rep. Gary Click (R) introduced a bill that would designate June 24, the day the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, as "Celebration of Life Day."
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee on November 15, 2022. The bill did not receive any hearings.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
House Bill 704: Recognize "Personhood" from Moment of Conception
On July 11, 2022, Rep. Gary Click (R) introduced a bill that would grant constitutional rights to an embryo at the moment of conception. Personhood laws such as this one are the next chapter of the anti-abortion movement because they open the door even further for investigation, criminalization, and prosecution against pregnant people.
This legislation was assigned to the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee on November 15, 2022 and did not receive any hearings.
The bill did not pass before the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly.
Local Anti-Abortion Ordinances
Read below for information around anti-abortion ordinances that were introduced in Lebanon, Mason, Celina, and London, Ohio.
Ordinance Overview
In 2021, we saw extreme anti-abortion ordinances emerge across Ohio. Each ordinance is unconstitutional and an overstep of local authority because it directly conflicts with Ohio law, which permits abortion up to around 21.6 weeks of pregnancy.
These ordinances are part of a campaign started by Texas-based anti-abortion extremists who spent decades ignoring Supreme Court precedent in an effort to put abortion access out of reach for people who need it most.
Below is an overview of each ordinance, the status of the ordinance, and the impact it would have.
Lebanon, Ohio:
In May 2021 ─ Lebanon, OH became the first city in Ohio to pass an ordinance outlawing abortion within city limits with a unanimous vote of 6-0 ─ after one member quit in protest.
This ordinance goes even further than totally banning abortion—it criminalizes helping or supporting someone seeking abortion care. This means that friends or family members who drive someone to a clinic, or who help pay for abortion services, could be subject to criminal and civil penalties. This hostile ordinance impacts providers, abortion funds, and community members no matter where the abortion takes place.
Before the passing of this ordinance, there were zero abortion providers in Lebanon, with no plans of a health center being built within city limits.
As a result of passing this ordinance, Lebanon businesses have suffered financially from boycotts and a decline in tourism. Shortly after, Mayor Amy Brewer announced she would not be seeking re-election after 32 years in office.
Mason, Ohio:
In October 2021, after many months of public pushback, Mason City Council voted 4-3 to pass their anti-abortion ordinance. They attempted to pass it with an emergency clause, which would’ve put it immediately in effect but did not have the votes to do so.
The ordinance was only in effect for about two weeks before it was repealed (6-1) by a newly elected city council in December.
London, Ohio:
Sponsored by Councilmember Anthony Smith ─ London, OH was discussing their proposed ordinance. If passed, it would've implemented a total ban on abortion at any stage of pregnancy. Additionally, it would forbid the people of London from offering help or support to their loved ones.
The ordinance FAILED (6-1) on November 18, 2021 with Councilmember Anthony Smith being the only person to vote yes.
Celina, Ohio:
Celina City Council had introduced an ordinance more extreme than any other city, including a $10,000 bounty like Texas's SB 8. If this ordinance had been passed, it would've been the first city in Ohio to pass legislation that includes the creation of a private right to action. It would've allowed anyone to bring a lawsuit against another person suspected of providing abortion or aiding a patient seeking an abortion.
The ordinance failed (4-3) on November 22, 2021.
