By Dave Andrusko
Editor’s note. There is a compelling television ad running right now which illustrates how dangerous Issue 1 is to women. It’s here.
In anticipation of the critical November 7 vote on Issue 1, a citizen-initiated proposal that would embed abortion in the state constitution, Ohio Attorney Dave Yost is providing “Ohioans with vital clarity and transparency.”
As AG Yost explained in a news release, “To help ensure a meaningful and accurate public discourse on the two initiatives,” he “directed two teams from his office – one for each issue – to conduct legal analyses of both. These are not policy analyses, but legal analyses – not “why,” but “what.”
[The second initiative has to do with a proposed statute on recreational use of marijuana.]
“The people of Ohio hired me to do a job,” Yost said. “I owe it to them to give them accurate information so they can make informed decisions. This work is for them.”
According to a News Release
Led by the Attorney General, separate teams of attorneys and professional staff conducted the analyses, meticulously reviewing the appropriate citizen-initiated initiatives, discussing them at length, and preparing comprehensive explanations of their legal implications.
The final versions offer clarity in some areas and acknowledge the potential for legal disputes in others – without resorting to speculative projections.
To read the Attorney General’s legal explanations of State Issues 1 and 2, visit www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Ballot-Initiatives.
Ohio Right to Life has provided an in-depth analysis of Issue 1 which pro-lifers describe as “The Most Dangerous Initiative Ohio Has Ever Faced.” [https://ohiolife.org/ballotinitiative].
On November 7th, 2023, Ohioans will vote on the most dangerous ballot initiative in Ohio history. If Issue 1 passes, it will enshrine abortion-until-birth, with zero restrictions, into Ohio’s constitution. The seriousness of this ballot initiative cannot be overstated. If this is passed, Ohio’s legislature could not pass any future laws to protect the preborn. The abortion issue would be ripped out of our hands permanently.
According to Ohio Right to Life
How does Issue 1 put women at risk?
Health and safety standards in Ohio could be eliminated. Doctors could no longer need to examine a woman or explain the risks of the abortion procedure ahead of time.
How does Issue 1 threaten parental rights?
A fifteen-year-old could have an abortion without her parents knowing. Current Ohio law requires parental notification and consent before a child under 18 can obtain an abortion. These parental right protections could be removed as they directly conflict with the amendment which would allow all individuals, including minors, to make their own reproductive decisions.
How does Issue 1 threaten the lives of fully formed pre-born babies?
Abortion would be legal through all 9 months of pregnancy. Physicians at an abortion clinic could use a woman’s age or emotional well-being as a reason to perform an abortion in the 3rd trimester.