9mo ago

County judge strikes down Ohio abortion ban, citing voter-approved reproductive rights amendment

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The most far-reaching of Ohio’s laws restricting abortion was struck down on Thursday by a county judge who said last year’s voter-approved amendment enshrining reproductive rights renders the so-called heartbeat law unconstitutional.

Enforcement of the 2019 law banning most abortions once cardiac activity is detected — as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant — had been paused pending the challenge before Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins.

Jenkins said that when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and returned power over the abortion issue to the states, “Ohio’s Attorney General evidently didn’t get the memo.”

11 comments

... returned power over the abortion issue to the states, ...
"No not like that"
- Republicans in every state have been working very hard to try and cripple voter initiatives
  
  Have you read the language on Ohio's Issue #1 this ballot?
  The current mapping of congressional districts system is a bipartisan commission. If the commission doesn't agree, the state legislature decides the maps. Guess how that turns out every time. The new system would replace that with an actual bipartisan commission that doesn't just default to the state legislature.
  Turns out the state legislature doesn't like this. While they couldn't prevent the ballot measure, they could decide the language used. I'll go find it and reply here.
The Republicans are all for states rights as long as those states do exactly as they say.
- There does certainly seem to be a few that oppose democracy, which is an unusual thing to do while claiming oneself to be an American.
  
  Not so unusual these days and way more than a few. We've got most of a political party that is perfectly willing to line up behind a fascist and cheer him on.
The article doesn't make it clear what was really going on here.
So the head line is that last year Ohio passed a constitutional measure protecting abortion up to viability. The actual thing they did though was much deeper. They made the doctor and the mother the legal point of decision for the mother's healthcare, including abortion. So if the doctor says the fetus isn't viable, that's it. Nobody can come in and prosecute the doctor. They also made it unconstitutional to indirectly interfere with this care.
The Ohio AG tried to say, okay you got me on the abortion. But all the counseling, waiting period, video recording of the procedure, reporting, and felony penalties for screwing any of that up are still in place.
The judge called him on his bullshit and ruled all of that unconstitutional. So doctor/patient based healthcare is the law of the land in Ohio again.
- Fuck these people. They're literally just disregarding voter passed measures. If they can pass that measure I hope they kick his ass out next chance.
Hell yeah

11 comments