Six Pro-life Initiatives Pass Ohio Legislature
Ohio Right to Life Infant Adoption Reform Passes, 81-4
COLUMBUS, Ohio–On Wednesday, the Ohio General Assembly passed six pieces of pro-life legislation as the lame-duck session came to a close. Among them is Ohio Right to Life’s groundbreaking Infant Adoption Reform, which passed with historic bipartisan support, 81-4.
“Ohio Right to Life is grateful to the bill sponsors in both the House and Senate, as well as Chairman Coley and Senator Obhof who worked so hard to make this bill a reality in 2014,” said Stephanie Ranade Krider, executive director of Ohio Right to Life. “This groundbreaking legislation will ensure that the adoption process is less daunting for adoptive parents, as well as compassionate and supportive to birth parents.”
The other five pro-life initiatives which passed are:
- SB 207 – Protects rape victims and their children who were conceived as a result of sexual assault by restricting the parental rights of the convicted attacker;
- HB 552 – Provides information and comfort to expecting parents to children with a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome;
- Sub. HB 320 – Increases access to Ohio free clinics, providing alternatives to Planned Parenthood;
- HB 529 – Makes selling drugs to a pregnant woman a second degree felony;
- Infant Safe Sleep Program – Requires infant safe sleep standards to be created and implemented statewide to support efforts to reduce infant mortality
“This is what ‘building a culture of life’ looks like,” said Krider. “The General Assembly voted unanimously to protect children conceived by rape. They are going great lengths to ensure that Ohio’s children are safe inside the womb and out, and that their parents are empowered to make healthy, life-giving decisions.”
Ohio Right to Life thanks the 130th General Assembly for advancing the cause of life in 2014.