NARAL's The Morning After is a production of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

This week, Gabe and Jaime traveled to the US Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati. The Down syndrome abortion ban signed into law by former Gov. John Kasich was immediately blocked by federal courts. The appeal by Gov. Mike DeWine's Department of Health challenging the stoppage called for an en banc review, which means the case was heard by all SIXTEEN judges of the appeals court at one time, instead of the usual three judge panel. 

The state's argument was presented by attorney Ben Flowers and joined by an addition from the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division attorney, Alexander Maugeri.

The plaintiff, Preterm, was represented by attorney and Case professor, Jessie Hill.

The state of Ohio is arguing many positions, first being that this abortion ban somehow isn't an abortion ban. They feel that it applies to doctors and not women, so the women aren't impacted. (We note that the entire trial, and our discussion of it, was entirely using gendered language. This isn't a principal shared by NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, but it's not our court.)

A second position of the state, and several male judges on the court, is that women won't be impacted by this ban because they can just dodge it by not informing their doctor why they are seeking an abortion. Prof. Hill pointed out that asking patients to hide information from doctors is not sound health care policy.

Full hearing audio is available at: https://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/internet/court_audio/aud1.php (Look for March 11, 2020 - 18-3329 Preterm-Cleveland v Amy Acton et al.)

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Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/naralpodcast

NARAL's The Morning After is a production of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

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The audio for today's podcast is available thanks to the Center for Reproductive Rights. You can watch the entire rally on their YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/om5c20c_HB4  &  https://www.youtube.com/user/ReproductiveRight100/videos 

The rally was emceed by Renee Bracey Sherman and featured speakers representing major national reproductive rights organizations and independent clinics, patients, clergy and faith organizations, medical groups, and members of Congress. 

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For other upcoming events, visit the Events tab on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/NARALProChoiceOhio/events/ 

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Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/naralpodcast 

NARAL's The Morning After is a production of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

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This week, Jaime and Gabe sit down with Sarah Inskeep from Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity. (https://urge.org/) Sarah has been very active at the Ohio Statehouse recently.

First, she's planning the Freedom of Choice Ohio Advocacy Day on April 1. Join us to tell your Ohio state legislators how you feel about abortion restrictions. Register at: http://bit.ly/ohioadvocacyday2020 

Second, she testified against a resolution from Rep. Jena Powell that would declare pornography to be a public health crisis. URGE's position is that Ohio should be looking at real public health crises such as the harm of toxic masculinity. Watch Sarah's testimony at: http://www.ohiochannel.org/video/ohio-house-health-committee-2-11-2020?start=5461 WOSU discussed the resolution on their show All Sides with Ann Fisher: https://radio.wosu.org/post/porn-public-health-crisis#stream/0 

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Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/naralpodcast 

NARAL's The Morning After is a production is NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

In the middle of a string of terrific Roe-week events, Gabe and Kelley and joined by Hannah from our Cleveland office. Hannah worked with Cleveland band Biitchseat to produce Roe Yeah! The show was a 12-band festival in Lakewood, Ohio. 

Bands appearing were absinthe father | Equipment | Punch Drunk Tagalongs | She/her/hers | Teamonade | mungbean | SLUG FEST | FREAKwents | Royal Beasts | Lawn Care | The Katy | Sure, Machine.

In Ohio political news, state lawmakers introduced a new ban on telemedicine abortions. NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio is opposing this and all restrictions on abortion.

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For upcoming events, visit the Events tab on our Facebook page.

Listen to NARAL's The Morning After on these podcast apps:

Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/naralpodcast

NARAL's The Morning After is a production is NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

With the team back from the holiday break, Jaime, Gabe, and Kelley discussed new attacks from anti-choice Republicans already happening in 2020. 

An amicus brief in June v. Gee was signed by 207 anti-choice members of Congress, including 11 men from Ohio. That case is basically a rehearing of 2016's pro-choice victory in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt.

In Cincinnati, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio is working to meet politically-biased state requirements all while continuing to serve patients.

Our Patients to Advocates fellows produced a new series of videos. Find them on our blog.

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Listen to NARAL's The Morning After on these podcast apps:

Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/naralpodcast

NARAL's The Morning After is a production is NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

With all of the anti-science bills in the Ohio Statehouse, we thought Jaime, Gabe, and Kelley should review. 

This week, Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Jessie Balmert obtained emails from Equity Forward revealing the origin of the false idea legislators have about transplanting an ectopic pregnancy:

"Clermont County Rep. John Becker, R-Union Township, didn't consult doctors about the medical procedure. Instead, he received regular input from Barry Sheets, a lobbyist for the Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio, according to emails obtained through an Enquirer public records request. ...

"Sheets offered line-item changes to Becker's House Bill 182, which would ban most private insurance coverage of abortions in Ohio. And the lobbyist helped Becker defend one of the bill's more controversial ideas: permitting health insurance to cover reinserting a fertilized egg that attaches outside the uterus – called an ectopic or tubal pregnancy – into the uterus."

We all know this idea they're proposing — now in two separate House bills — is science fiction. 

Read more in the Cincinnati Enquirer

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Listen to NARAL's The Morning After on these podcast apps:

Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/naralpodcast

NARAL's The Morning After is a production of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

This week, Gabe and Jaime discuss the November Democratic Debate, the family-centered legislative plans from the Ohio House Democratic Caucus, and House Bill 413, the new Total Abortion Ban that would charge abortion providers and patients with the death penalty. 

At the end of the episode, we listen to some testimony from Jaime, along with Sarah Inskeep from URGE and Rev. Terry Williams from the Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Rights. These three testified against House Bill 297, which would create a 50% tax credit for donors to fake women's health centers (AKA crisis pregnancy centers or CPCs). Video of that testimony is available at: http://ohiochannel.org/video/ohio-house-ways-and-means-committee-11-12-2019 

NARAL's The Morning After is a production of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

Following a pair of hearings and two floor votes this week, Kelley and Gabe are joined by Rev. Terry Williams from the Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. 

The Ohio Senate Committee on Health, Human Services, and Medicaid approved Senate Bill 155 and Senate Bill 208 on Tuesday, and there were floor votes in Ohio Senate session on Wednesday. The bills push harmful false narratives about abortion, and each would charge physicians with third degree felonies for not complying with medically unnecessary rules.

In the Ohio House Committee on Ways and Means, House Bill 297 received its second hearing. This bill would create a tax CREDIT to give money from taxpayers to donors of fake women's health centers (AKA crisis pregnancy centers or CPCs).

In Dayton, Kelley is continuing to organize supporters of Women's Med Center. That clinic took their fight from state court to the federal level.

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Listen to NARAL's The Morning After on these podcast apps:

Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/naralpodcast

NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio is a production of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

This week, Gabe and Jaime review the hearing on Senate Bill 155, with testimony being offered by NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio and many of our partners.

NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio strongly opposes Senate Bill 155. This bill requires medical professionals to give at best medically unproven information and at worst, information that could harm their patients. Abortion “reversal” has not been scientifically researched and its potential side effects and risks have not been determined. Politicians should never mandate that health care providers give their patients inaccurate information about an unproven treatment.

In this week's episode, you'll hear:

• Elizabeth Brown, Women's Public Policy Network

Video of the hearing is available at http://ohiochannel.org/video/ohio-senate-health-human-services-and-medicaid-committee-10-22-2019, and audio for this week's episode was sourced from the Ohio Channel under fair use laws. Copies of written testimony are available at http://www.ohiosenate.gov/committees/health-human-services-and-medicaid/document-archive.

For upcoming events, visit the Events tab on our Facebook page.

Listen to NARAL's The Morning After on these podcast apps:

Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/naralpodcast

NARAL's The Morning After is a production of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

This week, we saw the Democratic candidates for president answer questions about abortion during the debate held in Westerville, Ohio. Kelley, Jaime, and Gabe discuss their responses, including debate audio in the opening of the episode. (Credit: CNN)

Find info on upcoming events on our Facebook page.