Democratic lawmakers issue statement on leaked abortion draft ruling

COLUMBUS- State Reps. Shayla L. Davis (D-Garfield Heights), Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) and Monique Smith (D-Fairview Park) issued a joint statement following the news of the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that indicates the court’s conservative majority intends to overturn Roe V. Wade in the coming months.

“The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, if made official, would endanger the lives of countless women, especially women of color. This decision would completely violate a person’s right to choose what happens to their own body. It is dangerous, and should not happen. We deeply empathize with the pain, fear and heartache that this draft opinion has induced across the nation. 

“Unfortunately, this blatant attack on abortion and reproductive rights is not new to Ohio, where the Republican supermajority has introduced a variety of extreme anti-abortion bills over the last few years. But with every dangerous, restrictive anti-abortion bill that has been introduced, Ohioans and Democrats have fought back. We won’t stop fighting to ensure that all Ohioans have access to the full range of healthcare that they deserve.” 

According to a Quinnipiac poll, 61% of Ohioans agree with the Roe v. Wade decision to allow access to abortion. Despite this, Ohio Republicans have pushed several pieces of legislation to greatly restrict access to abortion, including the 6-week abortion ban signed into law by Gov. DeWine in 2019. Just last week, the Ohio House held a committee hearing on House Bill (HB) 598, an abortion “trigger” ban that would completely eliminate access to abortion in Ohio with no exceptions should the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade.