Recently, Ohio lawmakers, following in Texas’s footsteps, unveiled a new bill that mirrors Texas’s controversial abortion legislation, marking Ohio as the second state to adopt such measures. (Florida was the first—honestly, I’m getting quite tired of hearing about Florida and Texas for anything that doesn’t involve them disappearing into the ocean.) However, Ohio’s proposed law goes even further by instituting a total ban on abortions.
As the Supreme Court considers the legality of Texas’s SB 8, Ohio is joining other states eager to impose severe restrictions on reproductive choices for individuals who are pregnant or can become pregnant. They sidestep the protections of Roe v. Wade, which safeguards a person’s right to choose an abortion without excessive governmental interference, by allowing citizens to report individuals suspected of obtaining or assisting with an abortion.
It’s puzzling how a political party that claims to champion freedom from authoritarianism and invokes nationalism through anti-foreign sentiments is simultaneously enacting laws that exert social control over personal decisions. One has to wonder if their true grievance lies not in the system itself, but in who wields the power.
Key Details About the Ohio Bill
Unlike Texas, which offers a faint glimmer of allowance for abortions before a heartbeat is detectable—essentially before many realize they are pregnant—Ohio’s legislation makes no exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or sexual abuse. This move highlights a disturbing trend in “pro-life” ideology, taking it to its extreme.
The Ohio bill proposes to let private citizens enforce the ban on all abortions, enabling them to sue anyone involved in facilitating an abortion and claim at least $10,000 in damages if they win in court. Moreover, it allows legal action against anyone who impregnates a person through illegal means, such as rape or sexual assault. Yet, this law does not permit abortions for those who become pregnant through such heinous acts—an approach that shows a complete lack of compassion.
While it’s a small mercy that the law allows abortions when the pregnant person’s life is at risk, one would be hard-pressed to find anyone grateful for such a meager concession.
What Comes Next?
Let’s not direct all our frustration solely at Ohio, Texas, or Florida. Other states are gearing up to follow suit. Arkansas State Senator Jason Hart and Missouri State Representative Emma Collins have announced plans to introduce similar legislation in their states soon.
They will be joined by lawmakers in states like Indiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The pro-abortion rights Guttmacher Institute predicts that at least 14 states, including Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee, are likely to pursue legislation akin to Texas’s SB 8. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, as many as 26 states may enact outright bans on abortion.
This translates to roughly one-third of the United States potentially adopting such restrictive abortion laws, and over half of the nation if Roe v. Wade falls.
The Danger of This Precedent
The implications of these laws are alarming. They fundamentally undermine the right to safe and legal abortions without undue interference from the government, regardless of circumstances such as rape, incest, or health risks. If the Supreme Court upholds SB 8, we could see similar provisions allowing private citizens to enforce laws on issues like gun control or same-sex marriage.
This trend of empowering citizens to report on one another, particularly targeting marginalized communities, raises significant concerns about social trust and community relationships. Encouraging individuals to police their friends and family only promotes division and distrust, while Republicans seem to be inviting the very authoritarianism they claim to oppose.
The specter of Big Brother is not just a distant threat—it is already here.
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Summary
Ohio’s proposed abortion legislation mirrors Texas’s restrictive law, taking it further by instituting a total ban on abortions without exceptions for rape or incest. This law empowers citizens to sue anyone involved in abortions and raises significant concerns about social trust and community policing. As other states prepare to adopt similar measures, the implications for reproductive rights and individual freedoms are alarming.