500 letters against HB 239!

Help us send 500 letters to Senator Kevin Coughlin and the other members of the Ohio Senate Committee on Health, Human Services, & Aging to oppose House Bill 239! HB 239 is being heard FROM 10:30AM - 1:00PM TODAY DECEMBER 19th by the Senate Committee.

HB 239 would declare that it is the public policy of the state to prefer childbirth over abortion, modify the laws governing public funding of abortions, and prohibit the use of funds appropriated for genetic services to be used for abortion-related purposes.

Tell Chairman Coughlin and his colleagues that women and families with low incomes do not deserve state-censored, second-class medical care and information.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: HB 239 is bad for Ohio women and families

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I urge you to oppose Substitute House Bill 239.

I care about Ohio women and families and I know you do too. That is why I am asking you to work with Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health care providers to reduce the need for abortion by providing people with information about how to prevent unintended pregnancy. If you are serious about reducing the need for abortion you will join me and support the Ohio Prevention First Act.

House Bill House Bill 239 will not reduce the need for Ohio women to end pregnancies. It will only reduce the quality and options of health care counsel and services for Ohio women and families with low-incomes.

Please consider the full negative consequences of House Bill 239 on the everyday lives of Ohioans and oppose this reckless, unnecessary legislation.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
December 13, 2006

Background Information

House Bill 239 is the wrong approach to reduce abortions!

House Bill 239 seeks to declare that the public policy of the state should be to prefer childbirth over abortion. It would limit access to abortion services for women on Medicaid, allowing no exceptions to protect the health of the woman (i.e. if her pregnancy could result in blindness, loss of a bodily function or future fertility). It also places a “gag rule” on certain state programs that perform genetic testing and counseling and bars them from providing information to their patients about abortion—even if they are facing severe or fatal fetal abnormalities.

Ohio is among 32 states and the District of Columbia that currently follow the federal standard and provide abortions in cases of life endangerment, rape and incest. Seventeen states use state funds to provide all or most medically necessary abortions. South Dakota is the only state that is in violation of federal Medicaid law by providing abortion only in cases of life endangerment.

A woman's pregnancy counsel and care should not be based on her economic status. Families seek genetic testing to plan their families and futures. Low-income families who seek such testing should not be subjected to a state-censored counseling session while families with higher incomes are offered complete medical options.

Regarding the declaration that the public policy of the state should be to prefer childbirth over abortion:

If Ohio was to make such a declaration, would that result in more funding for pre- and post-natal care? Likely not. Would that result in more funding for other programs to improve women's and children's health care? Likely not.

If such a declaration had any real purpose, the true public policy of the state should be to support full access to health care services and information and to work to prevent unintended pregnancy through common sense measures like the Ohio Prevention First Act.