Ohio NOW opposes a number of issues in this bill. We oppose the fact that it eliminates funding for Medicaid and public employee health plans for abortion care for rape victims, and women whose health is at stake. We believe that people supported by Medicaid and people working for the state should have the same accessibility to healthcare as employees of the private sector.

We also oppose the ban on public hospitals and employees from providing abortion care-except to save the life of the woman. This discriminates against anyone who is not financially able to afford a private hospital.

The part of H.B. 239 that we find most offensive is the fact that there is no exception for victims of rape or incest. The definition of a non-therapeutic abortion should not be changed to include an abortion for pregnancy resulting in rape or incest reported to a law enforcement agency. This bill limits a woman's ability to exercise their legal right to choose.

A woman cannot be considered a full and equal citizen if she does not have the right to control her role in reproduction. Ohio NOW believes that a woman has an innate right to determine the path of her own life including health care decisions.

For more information contact Ohio NOW Vice President of Action and member of Freedom of Choice-Ohio, Suzette Henderson. She can be reached at 614-523-1186 or ohionow@ohionow.org

To talk to the sponsor of H.B. 239 contact Rep. Schneider at 614-644-6019 or district35@ohr.state.oh.us