Ohio Abortion-Related Law To Take Effect; Cincinnati Abortion Clinic To Close

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 23 Sep 2005 - 19:00 PDT

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An Ohio law (HB 421) that requires women seeking an abortion to meet with a physician at least 24 hours before having the procedure to hear a description of the process, its risks and alternatives is scheduled to take effect on Thursday at 5 p.m., the Akron Beacon Journal reports (Suh, Akron Beacon Journal, 9/21). The law, which was passed in 1998 but never enforced, also requires unmarried minors to obtain parental consent before seeking abortions. U.S. District Court Judge Sandra Beckwith earlier this month gave abortion providers two weeks to comply with the law one day after the court had ruled that the law is constitutional and would take effect immediately (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 9/12). Cincinnati Women's Services plans to close on Thursday when the law takes effect. Clinic Director Debi Jackson said that the clinic cannot fulfill the law's requirement that patients meet with a physician 24 hours prior to undergoing an abortion, adding, "I'm not willing to offer my services in a lesser way than I have before." She said that the clinic -- which has been open since 1973 and employs two physicians and four counselors -- would have to find another doctor to accommodate the extra meetings but can only afford to hire an extra doctor for about an hour a day (Akron Beacon Journal, 9/21). The clinic on Friday appealed Beckwith's decision to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati requesting an indefinite extension to the delayed enforcement of the law (Provance, Toledo Blade, 9/17). The court has not yet ruled on this motion. Spokespeople for other clinics across Ohio said they expect to adjust to the law's requirements but added that the law might create more difficulty for their patients. Greg Frank, executive director of the Ohio antiabortion group Right to Life of Summit County, said the law improves patients' situations because it encourages better health care. "We believe that the better the information that is given to the mother, ... the better decision they'll be able to make," he said (Akron Beacon Journal, 9/21).

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