Ohio Republicans are relentlessly pushing to limit women’s reproductive rights, proposing yet another anti-abortion law—this time, a complete ban on abortion with the threat of jail time for women and doctors.
Under a bill introduced Monday, HB 565, the state would prohibit abortions even in cases of rape, incest or danger to a woman's life.
The proposal would allow criminal charges against both doctors and pregnant women seeking abortions and would characterize an "unborn human" as a person under Ohio's criminal code regarding homicide. That means abortions could be punishable by life in prison or even the death penalty.
At least they’re being honest about the end goal of all these laws restricting women’s reproductive freedom?
Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, would likely veto such a bill—and by so doing, allow himself to posture as reasonable the next time he signs an only slightly less restrictive bill. Ohio Republicans have already passed a 20-week abortion ban, which went into effect in 2017, and a ban on abortions based on a Down syndrome diagnosis has been put on hold by a judge.
But this is where a huge number of Republican lawmakers are headed: pass a complete and total abortion ban, including in cases of rape and incest, including criminalization. They’ll need to get the Supreme Court to revisit Roe v. Wade, but they’re hoping that after a few more years of Donald Trump they’ll have the votes needed to overturn Roe. It’s like a dystopian misogynist future.