Thread by @ProChoiceOH

Hearing today: At 10:30AM, the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee will hear sponsor testimony on a "trigger ban" that would block all abortion in Ohio if the US Supreme Court banned abortion anywhere. Our @JMiracleOH speaks to the media before the committee starts.

@JMiracleOH TAKE ACTION: Email your representative in the Ohio House and tell them to reject House Bill 598
prochoiceohio.org/trigger-ban/

VIDEO: ohiochannel.org/live/ohio-hous…
Testimony documents on the committee website: ohiohouse.gov/committees/gov…

Rep. Jean Schmidt explains her plan to ban all abortion access in Ohio at the first action by the US Supreme Court on an abortion ban from any state.

Ohioans support abortion access. Lawmakers pushing these restrictions on abortion access are out of step with Ohio values. A recent poll showed 61% of Ohio voters agree with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in #Roe.

Abortion bans are discriminatory. Bills designed to block abortion access are harmful to low-income women, transgender, and gender non-binary individuals, and everyone needing abortion care. They disproportionately impact people in communities of color.

Rep. Richard Brown questions the legal basis for the bill and the circumstances around banning abortion. He's been a vocal supporter of Ohioans' right to access abortion care in their communities.

It’s every Ohioans’ human right to make their own decisions about their bodies, their lives, & their futures. The abortion restrictions we’re seeing debated at the Statehouse and the US Supreme Court would deprive people of their ability to make their own health care decisions.

Rep. Brown asks about risk of criminalizing doctors who may be punished because of laws passed in other states. Rep. Schmidt does not give a damn about Ohio physicians.

Rep. @Liston4Ohio asks about how a physician would be expected to document that an abortion would be performed because of a severe medical risk to the pregnant person.

Rep. @Liston4Ohio, who is also Doctor Liston, asks about specific threats to pregnancy such as ectopic pregnancy, and how doctors would be restricted instead of being able to immediately treat their patients as they know best.

@Liston4Ohio Rep. Bill Seitz asks about the #DobbsVJackson in Mississippi that's before the US Supreme Court. MS is pushing a 15-week ban. He's suggesting an amendment to make this Ohio abortion ban bill worse.

Rep. Brown adds discussion of how the bill creates an affirmative defense for physicians "after they jump over 6 hurdles." He notes that the bill does not have a realistic provision to allow for abortions to save the life of the pregnant person.

Rep. @Liston4Ohio: "What room for judgement is there in this?"
Rep. Schmidt: "I'm not a doctor."

Next @RepGalonski: "Actually your bill makes no exception and people would be charged with felonies." She's not accepting Rep. Schmidt's garbage claims.

"For medical schools to receive proper accreditation, they must teach students for the possibility of abortion." - @RepGalonski. Rep. Schmidt doesn't care about impact on Ohio's medical academic community.

Chairman Shane WIlkin attempts to curb additional discussion over the bill's legal language flaws, noting that the bill would need to be amended before moving forward.

Rep. Richard Brown redirects, asking about lack of rape exception in the bill. Ohio Republicans have NEVER, EVER, EVER shown one bit of concern for people who become pregnant through rape. Every bill passed by the Ohio GOP neglects them.

Rep. Schmidt on people who become pregnant through rape: "It's a shame that it happens, but there is an opportunity for that woman..."

"This girl has rights! Every bit as much as that zygote." - Rep. Rich Brown, appropriately mad on behalf of rape survivors.

Rep. @Liston4Ohio: "Is there anything in this bill that says a pregnancy can be terminated for a fetus with no brain and no possible positive outcome?"

.@RepGalonski isn't moving past this point, and neither are we: "We're putting doctors in a horribly uncomfortable position where they would have to ask themselves 'Do I have to save this woman and face a felony charge?'"

@RepGalonski With that question, the hearing is over.
TAKE ACTION NOW: Send an email to your member of the Ohio House of Representatives and demand they stop this trigger ban: prochoiceohio.org/trigger-ban/

Thank you to @RepRichBrown, @RepGalonski, & Rep. @Liston4Ohio for holding Rep. Jean Schmidt and the Ohio Republican House Caucus accountable during that committee.

Following the hearing, @JMiracleOH explains to the media how every abortion ban bill is bad, but it's important to remember that abortion is still legal in Ohio.
Find a clinic at prochoiceohio.org/clinics