Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio (PPSWO) and the Women's Med Group have filed a lawsuit against the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of abortion restrictions in the two most recent state budgets.
The lawsuit also seeks a preliminary injunction to stop House Bill 64—contained in the 2015 budget signed by Governor John Kasich—from taking effect at the end of September.
Planned Parenthood says hospital transfer agreements and other elements in the bill could affect abortion services at two Ohio clinics, including the Women’s Med Center in Dayton.
In a report from Ohio Public Radio, PPSWO Attorney Jennifer Branch said the bill would require ODH to suspend a clinic’s licenses automatically, “if they cannot get a written transfer agreement with a local hospital or a variance from the director of the Department of Health. And it’s that automatic suspension of their licenses that will close them down and put them out of business without any due process.”
According to media reports, in June the ODH denied a Women's Med Center's request for a variance to the patient transfer agreement. They resubmitted another application in July.
Melanie Amato, with the Ohio Department of Health, said the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation.
In a statement released by NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, Executive Director Kellie Copeland said abortion restrictions in the state are hurting women.
“Ohio women are being forced to leave the state to access abortion care," she said. "The number of abortion providers has been cut in half during the Kasich administration, but the rate of abortions sought by Ohio women has not gone down as dramatically."
An annual report released from the ODH indicates the number of abortions reported in Ohio declined again in 2014 and had the fewest recorded since e data-tracking started in 1976.
According to the report, more than 21,000 pregnancies were terminated last year.
However, the reports does not speculate on reasons for the decline. The report also contends that about 20,000 of the Ohio abortions last year were for Ohio women.
