From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Ohio Right to Life: COLUMBUS – A new state law (H.B. 280) requires clinics that perform abortions to post signs detailing a patient’s rights and mandates prison time for assaulting a pregnant woman……In a related development, the Ohio Supreme Court asked lawyers for Planned Parenthood and the parents of a former teenage patient to submit written arguments on how the new law might affect their case, which is awaiting a court decision.
The lawsuit involves a 14-year-old girl from St. Bernard, “Jane Roe,” who got an abortion in March 2004. The father was her 21-year-old soccer coach. The parents alleged Planned Parenthood failed to obtain their consent for the abortion. Their lawyers are seeking 10 years’ worth of hundreds of minors’ medical records, abuse reports and statistics.
The new state law – partly inspired by the lawsuit – would give new, but limited access to medical records, including details about a suspected child abuser, in civil lawsuits. Anyone failing to report suspected child abuse or neglect could be sued for damages….In cases of domestic violence, the new law also adds mandatory prison time of up to a year for assaulting a pregnant woman. Currently there is no specific penalty for that.
According to NARAL, Ohio gets an ‘F’ in choice. Check it out here, then choose your state to see how your senate and house rate on ‘choice’ issues.
