An Ohio House committee is considering yet another abortion bill, one that would require doctors to provide life-saving care if a fetus is possibly viable after an abortion. But opponents of the bill say it isn’t needed.
Abortion rights advocates like Dr. Erika Boothman of Columbus say the bill is a solution in search of a crisis to resolve. She says current state law already makes it illegal for a doctor to perform an abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy or later.
“This doesn’t happen. This is really attempting to address a non-existent problem,” Boothman said.
Boothman says the law would instead affect women who are facing devasting news about difficult pregnancies.
But Ohio Right to Life is backing the Senate-passed plan, saying it will ensure no baby that survives an abortion will be denied life-saving care.
The Ohio Senate passed the bill last month. The bill also makes some changes to transfer agreement variances that could make it harder for abortion clinics to get them.
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