At The Capitol

Two groups advocating for abortion rights submitted fall ballot language for a constitutional amendment, guaranteeing Ohioans’ access to abortion, an effort that opponents have vowed to fight. The measure delivered to Republican Attorney General Dave Yost’s office calls for establishing “a fundamental right to reproductive freedom” with “reasonable limits.” In language similar to a constitutional amendment Michigan voters approved in November, it would require restrictions imposed past a fetus’ viability outside the womb to be based on evidence of patient health and safety benefits. Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights is joining Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom in advancing the measure, in a campaign they estimate could cost up to $36 million dollars. Their effort follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last June to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that protected abortion rights, which shifted the contentious battle over abortion to the states.