COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – While a judge blocked an Ohio law requiring a 24-hour waiting period for abortions, state lawmakers have introduced a bill to reinstate the requirement.
House Bill 347, introduced by Reps. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Township) and Mike Odioso (R-Green Township), would require medical professionals to inform patients seeking an abortion of any “physical or psychological” risks at least 24 hours before the procedure.
Lawmakers named the law the “She Wins Act,” an acronym for “Share the Health and Empower With Informed Notices.”
“The goal is not to create barriers, but to ensure that when a woman faces one of the most difficult decisions of her life, she has clarity, time and honest medical information,” Williams said at the bill’s first hearing in overdue September. “She should not be rushed or pressured into a decision, and she will not be uninformed at Ohio State.”
According to the law, a meeting with a doctor could take place in person, by telephone, by virtual call or by email. The medical provider would be required to disclose the risks associated with an abortion and carrying a pregnancy to term, as well as alternatives to abortion, such as adoption. The doctor would also have to answer all of the patient’s questions. According to a press release, patients could sue if they do not receive such information.
The legislation’s provisions would apply to both surgical and medical abortions, but not miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies or medical emergencies.
Kellie Copeland, executive director of Abortion Forward, said the proposal contradicts a August 2024 by the Franklin County Judge decision to Block an Ohio law that required a 24-hour waiting period for abortions. In this judgment the court cited a reproductive rights amendment passed by Ohio voters in 2023 This prohibits the state from interfering with a person’s right to an abortion. If the bill passes, legal challenges would likely follow.
“Courts have already blocked Ohio’s current 24-hour waiting period because it is unconstitutional,” Copeland said. “These politicians want to ignore the will of Ohioans, reinstate this onerous requirement and force doctors to provide potentially harmful information to patients seeking abortion care.”
Abortion rights groups argue that wait times burden patients by forcing them to attend multiple appointments with a doctor, which can be complex for those who lack time off work or reliable transportation. Waiting times can also cause patients to miss the pregnancy window for a preferred abortion method.
“That is the primary purpose of this legislation, not patient safety,” Copeland said.
But supporters of the bill maintain it is not intended to burden patients or health care providers. They argue that the bill offers patients flexibility by allowing the meeting to take place virtually.
“This legislation strikes the right balance,” Odioso said at the September meeting. “It preserves a woman’s constitutional right to seek treatment while ensuring she is fully informed about the risks and outcomes while empowering her to make the best decision that is right for her.”
HB 347 Awaits Further Hearings in the House Health Committee; It must pass the House and Senate before it can be sent to Gov. Mike DeWine for final approval. Four Republicans support the bill.
