Ohio judge just affirmed the state’s right to abortions with this landmark decision

A judge in Ohio just struck down the state’s six-week abortion ban, effectively guaranteeing abortion rights in the state following last year’s referendum.

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins authored a decision that criticized the Ohio Attorney General for not respecting the public’s decision in voting for abortion rights in the states with last year’s constitutional amendment, Issue 1.

“Despite the adoption of a broad and strongly worded constitutional amendment, in this case and others, the State of Ohio seeks not to uphold the constitutional protection of abortion rights, but to diminish and limit it,” Jenkins wrote in a statement.

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Attorney General Dave Yost agreed that Issue 1 applied to abortion, after controversy where his fellow Republicans argued it was too vague to apply to the practice, however he still tried to challenge it in court. Yost will decide in the next 30 days whether to appeal Jenkins’ decision.

“This is a momentous ruling, showing the power of Ohio’s new Reproductive Freedom Amendment in practice. The six-week ban is blatantly unconstitutional and has no place in our law,” said Jessie Hill, cooperating attorney for the ACLU of Ohio, in a statement.

“Last November, Ohioans unequivocally rejected politicians’ attempts to ban abortion, and today’s ruling is a step in the right direction to protect the right of all people in our state to make their own personal medical decisions,” said Erica Wilson-Domer, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. 

“We are heartened that the six-week ban that previously left so many patients in Ohio without options to receive safe and convenient care has finally been struck down, and we look forward to continuing the work of expanding abortion access for all.”

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