· November 13, 2017

Statehouse Preview: Week of November 13th

Down Syndrome Abortion Bill Up For Vote In Senate; Could Be Sent To Kasich For Signing This Week

Senate Committee to Vote on Down Syndrome Abortion Ban Tomorrow

SB 164, a companion bill to the Down syndrome abortion ban already passed by the House is scheduled to be voted out of committee this week. If this happens, the most likely scenario will see the entire Senate taking it up the next day for a vote. If passed, it will then be sent to Governor Kasich to be signed into law.

The Senate committee will meet tomorrow at 3:15 PM in Rm 315.

Senate Session is scheduled for Wednesday at 1:30 PM.

Outside of pressuring Governor Kasich to veto the legislation, these two votes will be last opportunities to stop this legislation.

Another Abortion Ban Is Moving Towards Passage

SB 145, a bill that would outlaw the most common method of second trimester abortions will have its first hearing in the House on Tuesday at 1:30 PM in House Criminal Justice Committee in Rm 114. This bill has already been passed by the Senate.

Stand Your Ground Bill Gets Second Hearing

SB 180, a version of the “Stand Your Ground” laws passed in other states gets a second hearing this week. This bill would eliminate the duty to retreat before using deadly force for most places in Ohio. It would also raise the legal standard of disproving a defendant acted in self-defense and shift the burden of defeating a self-defense claim by a defendant to the prosecutor.

This bill will be considered in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday November 14th @ 10:15 AM in the North Hearing Rm.

Raise Your Voice to Stop the Bans

The Ohio legislature has continued to advance abortion bans, making it more difficult and costly – and sometimes completely impossible – to access reproductive health care. This upcoming week, the legislature will take up two abortion ban bills: the Senate version of the Down syndrome abortion ban (SB164) and the abortion method ban (SB145).

TAKE ACTION: It’s time for the legislature to stop the bans! You can take action in a few different ways:

Show up: Attend the StopTheBans Statehouse Day(s) hosted by our partners at NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio starting at 1:30 PM on Tuesday, November 14. Get the full details and schedule here.
Contact your representative: Find and contact your state legislators here. Urge them to end attacks on abortion access, including the Down syndrome abortion bans (SB164 and HB214) and the abortion method ban (SB145)
Get active on social media: Use the hashtag #StopTheBans to add your voice to the conversation