Search & Filter

Ohio voters approved a reproductive rights amendment in 2023 protecting abortion up to fetal viability, which conflicts with Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy's long public anti-abortion record and support for six-week bans like Iowa's. Ramaswamy's running mate, Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, cosponsored a 2019 heartbeat abortion ban that was struck down after the amendment's passage, and the general election between Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton will highlight reproductive freedom as a key issue.

Ohio House Bill 754, introduced by Rep. Jean Schmidt, would require medical professionals to file a 'certificate of life' upon detecting a fetal heartbeat and mandate registration of all fetal deaths regardless of gestational age, including details on whether the cause was abortion, miscarriage, or stillbirth. The bill aims to create a state registry of pregnancies and fetal deaths, raising privacy concerns amid Ohio's ongoing legal battles over reproductive rights and following the 2023 constitutional amendment protecting abortion access.