Under the cover of the night on November 14, Ohio legislators introduced House Bill 413, another bill intended to further regulate individuals options to control and manage their own bodies as well as penalize physicians for thoughtful caring for their patients without fear of political interference.

Lauren Blauvelt-Copelin, vice president of government affairs and public advocacy for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio gave the following statement in response:

“This is yet another attack on the sacred physician-patient relationship and on reproductive health care. This extreme bill goes to outlandish levels to further restrict Ohioans decisions around health care and parenting.

“Similar to the other seven active pieces of legislation making their way through the Ohio Statehouse, Ohioans deserve better than politicians that are obsessed with regulating other people’s bodies.

“This legislation will likely irreparably harm the lives Ohioans that decide to expand their family in non-traditional ways. Planned Parenthood will continue to join with other progressive organizations to protect the rights of all Ohioans to control their own bodies and their own destinies.”

Tens of thousands of Planned Parenthood supporters stand poised to vehemently fight back against this piece of legislation as intensely as they did against the near-total abortion ban that was signed by Governor DeWine earlier this year. The near-total abortion ban is currently being litigated in Federal Court.

According to the Washington Post, House Bill 413, among other provisions, seeks to legally recognize unborn fetuses as people, according to a news release from the Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio. The Columbus Dispatch reported: "Anyone performing an abortion in Ohio would be subject to the death penalty under a new ban on the procedure proposed by anti-abortion groups and more than 20 Republican legislators." House Bill was introduced by State Reps. Ron Hood and Candice Keller.

The Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice has an action for those opposed to the bill:

Tell Legislators loud & clear: #ValueMyChoice! 

Extremist politicians in Columbus want total control of pregnancies in Ohio—a TOTAL ban on all abortion care in our state.

HB 413 proposed by fanatic representatives Candice Keller and Ron Hood would criminalize reproductive healthcare and jail both doctors and patients for seeking abortion care in the Buckeye state.

Already supported by 21 members of the 99-person Ohio House of Representatives, this extreme bill is poised to strip control away from people and give the government power over millions of Ohioans.

Sign on to the #ValueMyChoice letter and tell Ohio legislators enough is enough — controlling our bodies is our business and ours alone!

Click Here to sign now: https://actionnetwork.org/petit…/stop-the-total-abortion-ban

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The #ValueMyChoice Letter:

As a person of faith, conscience, and goodwill, I strongly oppose your bill that seeks to ban all abortions by defining personhood at conception. House Bill 413 does not reflect my values or beliefs.

Ohioans like me refuse to buy your extremist agenda. Banning access to health care is simply NOT a religious value for the vast majority of Ohioans — period.

I will not stand by as you criminalize reproductive health care and throw pregnant people and their doctors in jail. Limiting our choices and attacking our health care is not what we elected you to do.

Whether about abortion, religion, or any other important decision, know that your extreme, ideological views are not welcome in our laws or our bodies. I urge you to #ValueMyChoice.

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Sign now: https://actionnetwork.org/petit…/stop-the-total-abortion-ban