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Updated 08.18.08 From access to
birth control, to unbiased sex education, to the right to an abortion,
the ACLU works to ensure women have full control over their reproductive
lives.
What’s Happening Nationally
For information on important reproductive rights cases decided by the
U.S. Supreme Court click
here.
In July 2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) drafted a set of proposed regulations that could dramatically
limit women’s access to birth control.
READ MORE»
Contact Michael Leavitt, Secretary of HHS, and urge him not to release these misguided regulations.
What's happening in Ohio
Legislation
In 2007, a bipartisan group of legislators introduced the
Ohio
Prevention First Act, a bill that will help prevent unintended
pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion by increasing access to
contraceptives and medically accurate sex education. The companion bills
are HB 251 in the House and SB 179 in the Senate. Now more than one year
after the bills were introduced, the Prevention First Act has only had
one hearing.
Please
contact your state legislators today and urge them to hold hearings
on the Prevention First Act. It’s past time for Ohio to have a
meaningful discussion about prevention.
READ MORE»
In May 2008, the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies,
H.B. 560, was introduced in the Ohio General Assembly. This bill will
require that hospitals offer accurate information about and access to
emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault.
READ
MORE»
In May 2008, Ohio legislators also introduced
Contraceptive Equity, H.B. 561, which will forbid a
health insurance company from limiting or excluding coverage for FDA
approved prescription contraception if the policy covers other
prescription drugs or devices.
READ
MORE»
Ohio Litigation
Planned Parenthood of Cincinnati v. Taft
In September 2006, a federal court in Cincinnati permanently blocked H.B. 126, finding that the law is unconstitutionally vague, subjecting doctors to felony charges and loss of their medical license without clear guidelines about what conduct is prohibited. H.B. 126 was written to regulate Mifepristone, or RU-486, requiring that it be distributed exactly as approved by the FDA with no off-label use, potentially mandating that doctors prescribe up to three times the needed doses at greater cost to the provider and patient.
READ
MORE»
Following this decision, the Attorney General and prosecutors chose to pursue an appeal to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. In June 2008, the Sixth Circuit asked the Ohio Supreme Court to interpret the law prior to issuing a decision. The Ohio Supreme Court has yet to decide if it will interpret the law. Regardless of its decision, the Sixth Circuit will have to determine the
law's constitutionality. An injunction will remain in place against the law until
the Sixth Circuit decides.
Get Active!
Contact your
legislators on reproductive rights, or
write letters to
them.
Resources
December 10, 2008 will mark the 60th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
For more about abortion, sexuality education, fetal rights, or
contraceptive equity, visit the
national ACLU website.
Timeline of important reproductive rights cases decided by the U.S.
Supreme Court
The ACLU of Ohio publication,
Your
Health and the Law: A Guide for Teens, contains information about
the reproductive rights of young people.
Read Reproductive Rights press releases and news articles in our
News Center.
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