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First Steps Taken To Put An Issue On Ballot That Would Ban And Criminalize Abortion In Ohio

Kellie Copeland, NARAL Pro Choice Ohio

A newly proposed ballot initiative filed with the Attorney General would begin the process of putting an issue on the ballot to ban all abortions in Ohio.

Petition signatures have been filed with the AG’s office to put before voters a total ban on abortion, without exception and classify it as aggravated murder in the state of Ohio.

Doctors who perform abortions and women who have them would be prosecuted under this plan. NARAL Pro Choice Ohio’s Kellie Copeland’s says it could affect some forms of birth control and in vitro fertilization too.

“We know that it is unconstitutional but that hasn’t stopped a number of attempts in Ohio over the years.”

There are no details about who’s behind this proposal, but Ohio Right to Life says it’s not, and didn’t want to comment. It also wasn’t involved in a previous proposed “personhood” amendment which sought to give a fertilized egg the legal rights of a person.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.