Ohio Republicans want 24-hour abortion waiting period despite judge’s injunction

• The proposal, called the “She Wins Act,” comes after a judge blocked Ohio’s previous 24-hour waiting period law.
• Abortion rights advocates oppose the bill, arguing it violates the 2023 amendment guaranteeing reproductive rights and a judge’s ruling.
• The bill’s sponsors claim it aims to ensure patients have adequate information, not to circumvent the court’s decision.

Ohio Republicans want to reinstate a 24-hour waiting period for abortions, despite a judge’s order blocking it.

The proposal from Reps. Mike Odioso, R-Green Twp., and Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Twp., would require doctors to provide patients seeking an abortion with information about the “physical and psychological risks” at least 24 hours before an abortion pill or procedure.

Patients would receive information about abortion risks and reviews of the physician providing it, Williams said. Patients could sue if they don’t receive this information in person, via phone, email or other means, according to a news release. Lawmakers are calling the bill the “She Wins Act.”

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Abortion rights advocates say the proposal is at odds with a judge’s decision that blocked Ohio’s longtime 24-hour waiting period. The preliminary injunction came after Ohio voters approved a reproductive rights amendment in 2023.

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge David Young cited the 2023 amendment in his ruling, which allowed providers to offer same-day abortions. In many cases, the waiting period extended beyond one day because of transportation challenges or other issues.

More: Abortion access has increased in Ohio since 2023 vote. What comes next?

Williams said he isn’t trying to undermine that decision.

“This is not an attempt to go around the court or even put our thumb on the scale,” Williams told the statehouse bureau. “This is an effort to make sure the patient is given adequate information to make a life-changing decision.”

But Abortion Forward Executive Director Kellie Copeland isn’t convinced.

“This whole proposal is bizarre,” Copeland said. “Ohio had a medically unnecessary 24-hour waiting period before the passage of the Ohio Reproductive Freedom Amendment. It has been ruled unconstitutional by the courts and blocked from enforcement. Politicians like Reps. Josh Williams and Mike Odioso clearly do not care about the law or what is best for patients.”

The bill is in the early stages and hasn’t yet been assigned to a House committee for review.

State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@gannett.com or @jbalmert on X.

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