Reproductive Rights Supporters Offer Opponent Testimony in Opposition to House Bill 258, the Six-Week Abortion Ban

PLANNED PARENTHOOD ADVOCATES OF OHIO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, December 5, 2018
CONTACT: [email protected]

Reproductive Rights Supporters Offer Opponent Testimony in Opposition to House Bill 258, the Six-Week Abortion Ban

Columbus, Ohio – Today, the Ohio Senate Health, Human Services and Medicaid Committee will hold the second hearing for House Bill 258, the six-week abortion ban. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio recruited patient advocates, supporters, medical providers, medical students, and board members to provide opponent testimony in opposition to House Bill 258. People providing testimony will be available for interviews at the conclusion of the hearing.

Supporters from across the state will attend the committee hearing to send a clear message that abortion bans and reproductive rights restrictions like House Bill 258 are extreme, dangerous, and not aligned with the values of Ohioans.

Statement from Lauren Blauvelt-Copelin, State Director, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio:

“The six-week abortion ban is yet another example of how Ohio Legislators do not respect Ohioans’ right to make their own personal decisions about their health and medical care.

“Repeatedly, anti-reproductive health politicians try to silence and strip away the rights of the people in this state by fast tracking legislation during the “lame duck” legislative session. And that is exactly what they are attempting to do with House Bill 258, the six-week abortion ban.

“If enacted, tens of thousands of Ohioans will be affected by this harmful legislation. They deserve to have an opportunity to have their voices heard, experiences acknowledged, and expertise considered before enacting such an extreme bill.”  

Access to abortion is already a restricted right for people in Ohio. According to the Guttmacher Institute, some 93% of Ohio’s counties lack an abortion provider. Research confirms that restricting access to safe and legal abortion does not decrease the number of abortions people seek or undergo, but rather forces them to resort to unsafe, dangerous means to get the care they need and deserve.

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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio supports advocacy for women’s reproductive health and women’s rights, including grassroots organizing, community education, and lobbying.www.ppao.org