Why Ohio's abortion rules are changing
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Ohio's abortion access is the most open it's been in over 20 years, with a judge recently blocking a 24-hour waiting period and other regulations.
Why it matters: Voters adopted an amendment enshrining the right to an abortion in the Ohio Constitution last November, but there's still confusion among patients due to ongoing lawsuits and changing restrictions that could impact their care.
Catch up quick: Last Friday, a Franklin County judge temporarily blocked the waiting period and other rules, finding they likely infringe on the new constitutional rights.
Plus: The decision says there is no evidence they're advancing patients' health, which would allow for an exemption.
The other side: Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost plans to appeal the ruling and disagrees that the requirements are burdensome, per a statement.
The latest: A ruling is expected today in a separate Hamilton County case over the constitutionality of Ohio's "heartbeat law," which bans abortion after detection of fetal cardiac activity, typically around six weeks of pregnancy.
- The statute has been temporarily blocked since late 2022.
The intrigue: Both sides agree the ban is no longer enforceable, but attorneys for Yost argue some parts of the law are salvageable, per court records.
- Those provisions are the "shell of the law," and keeping them on the books would "have no impact on people's ability to access abortion," Alison Norris, a researcher with Ohio Policy Evaluation Network at Ohio State University, which studies reproductive health care policies, tells Axios.
State of play: Some clinics are already offering same-day abortion services following last week's decision, the Statehouse News Bureau reported Tuesday.
- Since the '90s, patients had been required to meet with a physician in person, let 24 hours pass and then return for the procedure, according to the Dispatch.
- Providers are also no longer required to provide state-mandated materials on abortion alternatives.
What they're saying: Patients rarely waited just 24 hours, which increased financial and psychosocial costs, Norris says.
The bottom line: While November's constitutional amendment was a big victory for abortion rights advocates, it wasn't an end-all. Ongoing court battles will determine whether requirements like the 24-hour waiting period will be permanently removed.