The Ohio Republican State Central Committee unanimously voted to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion in the state Constitution during their Friday meeting.
The Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of radical pro–abortion activists that includes Planned Parenthood, Pro–Choice Ohio, the Abortion Fund of Ohio, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, along with the Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, proposed “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety.”
This proposed amendment would add Section 22 to Article 1 of the state Constitution. The proposal would remove Ohio’s parental notification legislation when a minor wants an abortion and the requirement that abortionists adhere to fundamental hospital health and safety standards. The proposal also aims to permit abortions far after babies have heartbeats and can feel pain.
They are attempting to gather over 413,000 signatures from registered voters in at least 44 counties, which equals 10 percent of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election before July 5th. The number of signatures must equal at least 5 percent of the votes cast in each county’s most recent gubernatorial race.
If the sufficient number of signatures is “verified by the Ohio Secretary of State at least 65 days before the election, the full text of the proposed amendment will be placed on the ballot in the regular or general election that occurs subsequent to 125 days after the filing of the petition.”
According to Committee Member Gary Cates, the abortion amendment directly contradicts the values of the party.
“I believe this party needs to make a formal opposition to the proposed ballot amendment,” Cates said.
GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou said that as November draws closer, this amendment is at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
“It’s a key portion of our Committee to support life. The most important thing we can do is come to action to help beat back this extremist abortion measure. We are getting ahead of it and want to use party resources to defeat it,” Triantafilou said.
According to Committee Member Melanie Leneghan, if Republicans wanted to “get ahead” of the abortion measure. They should have already passed the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment.
“Our super majority of Republicans could have gotten ahead of it with the amendment to change the threshold for the constitution. We had 22 Republicans that the Republican voters chose to uphold our policies go behind closed doors with the Democrats and kill the bill,” Leneghan said.
The Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment, House Joint Resolution (HJR) 1, would mandate a 60 percent approval percentage for any future constitutional amendments, call for signatures from all 88 counties, and do away with the opportunity to “cure” petitions by collecting additional signatures if necessary.
Republican lawmakers are working on getting The Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment on a special August election ballot before the abortion amendment goes before voters in November. However, moderate Republican House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) has once again delayed a floor vote on the legislation, pushing it until its deadline of May 10th.
Some Republicans say that his delay is in direct relation to the deal that he made with the Democrats to secure the Speakers gavel from GOP pick State Representative Derek Merrin (R-Monclova)
Committee Member Gloria Kirker said the Ohio Republican Party must defeat the radical left abortion amendment before it “kills Ohio’s future.”
“This is such an important motion. We have the opportunity today to make a motion to put the full resources of the committee together to oppose this abhorrent abortion measure. We have to fight this abortion initiative tooth and nail. It’s our duty to take a stand as Republicans to say no to this constitutional amendment. We are given an opportunity to stop the radical left from killing Ohio’s future,” Committee Member Kirker said.
The committee members unanimously voted to oppose the radical abortion initiative.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Woman Taking a Pregnancy Test” by Tima Miroshnichenko.
Enshrine the abortionists in a tomb.
Bravo OH awesome
Planned Parenthood (?), AKA Death Incorportated, receives $1.5 million EACH DAY from US taxpayers. WHY?