Erin Ryan · December 15, 2015

Legislation: Ohio Senate Bill 254 – Fetal Remains

Bill: Senate Bill 254 (full text) Title: Final Disposition of Fetal Remains Sponsors: Senator Uecker Co-Sponsors: Senators Hite, Jordan, Burke, Beagle, Coley, Faber, Eklund, Hackett, Hottinger, Hughes, Oelslager, and Patton Bill Analysis: This bill would require cremation or burial for fetal remains following an abortion.  It would require women seeking an abortion to notify the clinic of her choice on a form provided by the Ohio Department of Health which will be documented in the women’s medical records.  Under this legislation, the clinic and employees will be subject to first-degree misdemeanor if they fail to comply with the rules. Status: Bill was introduced in the Senate on December 14, 2015.  It was referred to the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee on January 20, 2016. It received Committee hearings on May 4, 11, and 17 2016. A substitute bill which included changes that would require the consent form which a woman completes following an abortion to include a medical identification number rather than her name was reported 9-3 out of Committee on May 25, 2016.  It passed in the Senate 23-10 on May 25, 2016.  See how your legislator voted here. The bill was introduced to the House on May 31, 2016 and referred to the House Committee on Health and Aging on November 10, 2016.