Ohio bill makes crossing state lines for abortion a felony

[LiviaOlivia]

Ohio bill makes crossing state lines for abortion a felony
by pHatidic
Tue Apr 18, 2006 at 11:33:53 AM PDT

A bill introduced in Ohio would make it a felony to have an abortion, even if you have one in another state.

Ohio house bill 228 introduced by Tim Brinkman, R-Mount Lookout, in April would make it a felony for a woman to seek to terminate her pregnancy and holds the same penalty if she chooses to leave the state for the medical procedure.

Additionally, anyone who helps coordinate an abortion or transportation to leave the state for one could be charged as well.

http://www.centralohio.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/B8/20060320/NEWS01/603200302/1002&template=B8

* Sponsored by Ohio Rep. Tom Brinkman, R- Mount Lookout, and 16 other representatives.

* Make it illegal for a woman to have an abortion and for her to travel across state lines for an abortion.

* Anyone involved in coordinating an abortion would face penalties as well.

This means that 17 out of the 99 representatives in the Ohio general assembly are already committed to voting for this, and by my count 60 out of the 99 representatives are Republicans.

~snip~

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/18/143354/689

[uppityperson]

1. This is not just transporting a minor, but transporting youself (nonminor)

if I read this right. They are saying no woman, of any age, can self seek an abortion in another state? I think there are states which prohibit transporting a minor across state lines, but there is no way that they can say it is illegal in 1 state to go to another state for an abortion, if the abortion is legal in state #2. There is free travel between states.

[Ian David]

3. The Federal Government has authority over interstate commerce

Might this case give the US Supreme Court the right to ban abortion under the interstate commerce clause?

[uppityperson]

I don't think so.

[ecassese]

25. ICC and Crimes of Violence

Parts of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act were declared unconstitutional because crimes of violence don't fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC. So was the Gun Free Schools Act. It seems like efforts to protect what some would call "crimes of violence" against unborn children would similarly be problematic.

[LiberalPartisan]

18. One begets the other

They don't need to call it what it is and won't - they're too cowardly. Prohibit travel and de facto prohibit ability to seek an abortion.

[Recursion]

21. You just said it

I think there are states which prohibit transporting a minor across state lines

And that's what they'll say a pregnant woman is doing.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

2. Can the babies be dropped of at Brinkman's home instead?

[Ian David]

6. Good idea for a protest action...

Drive-by his house throwing baby dolls on his front lawn in the middle of the night.

Maybe even ram wire hangars through them first.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

8. I'd rather ram one through him...

[DUHandle]

4. What, and restrict trade between the States?

Never!

[BattyDem]

5. So a pregnant woman automatically becomes property of the state?

If not, then how could Ohio possibly prevent her from crossing state lines? On what grounds would they prevent her from leaving? Would women (or men) be prevented from leaving the state for other LEGAL MEDICAL PROCEDURES or would it just be abortions?

This is illegal and unconstitutional on so many levels ... I don't know where to begin! :shrug:

[Ian David]

7. The fetus is a minor

You know what that means?

You can now have your first beer when you're 20 years and 3 months old!

[NoAmericanTaliban]

9. Guess you can vote & drive earlier too then..

[BattyDem]

13. And the "mother" is responsible for that "minor" ..

so if she chooses to take the "minor" across state lines, that is her right. If she chooses to get a legal medical procedure while out of state, that is also her right. What will the Ohio government do - charge her with murder when she comes back? Ohio can not prosecute a "crime" that occurs in another state.

There is no way any part of this could be legal by any stretch of the imagination.

[LiberalPartisan]

17. Charge her with murder? You betcha!

That is the logical end point of this bill sponsored by a man.

I hope people are willing to hide and shelter women when their womb becomes state property because the new underground rail road is going to be awfully crowded.

[bliss_eternal]

10. Unless they are planning to set-up some sort of

system to check each and every woman and girl going in and out of state, prying into their lives and determining the EXACT nature of why they are coming and/or going--how the hell are they going to know?

Of course it's insane that anyone would even consider placing such a law into the books. But this doesn't seem like one that would be easily enforced either way. Also looks like a great way to guarantee that future generations of women bail from that state in big numbers.

Without women in their state, they won't have much of a growing population, will they? ;)

It's interesting to me that these states never consider the possibility that some will move to another state that honors the possibility of their choices.

[Ian David]

14. Once they leave Ohio to have an abortion, they just don't come back

That would make sense, in a way, I guess.

[unblock]

11. this has to be unconstitutional

maybe the interstate commerce clause?

except that it's not even interstate commerce, as the commerce part is taking place ENTIRELY within another state.

maybe just plain jurisdiction?

[Warpy]

12. Come on, you knew this one was coming

It's the old Dred Scott thing all over again. Slavery was illegal in the north, but the south sought laws to allow them to capture their "property" wherever it ran to.

The slavery mentality never died out. I just got focused on the household slave every man was assured of having, his wife.

[BlueJazz]

15. (For those who believe in a God)..Let me get this straight.

If a Woman has a spontaneous Abortion....thru no fault of her own..
which would mean it's "God's Will" and IF it's Gods will..then can the
state of Ohio prosecute God? (I'd like to see that)

[Nobody]

16. Message to all women in Ohio! Buy your pregnancy tests out of state

Because if they're going to make it a felony to go out of state to get an abortion, they will likely start tracking who buys pregnancy tests. At least they can still be performed in the privacy of your own home, and you are not required to report the results.

With the pharmacists out there refusing to fill prescriptions for women, these same pharmacists would happily report anyone buying pregnancy tests.

Aren't conservatives supposed to be for less government? To enforce this law will require a KGB sized police force.

[ladjf]

19. What has happened to the great state of Ohio?

[Megahurtz]

20. Oh seriously Fuck Them.

If I lived in Ohio or any one of those other States
I wouldn't listen to their stupid forced birth laws for one minute.
They'de have to fuckin' catch me!:P

[slackmaster]

22. That has to be unconstitutional

Only the federal government has the power to regulate interstate commerce.

[lies and propaganda]

23. they own ya, no matter where ya go.

and thats what the fundies and the oldies will vote for everytime if we keep letting them.

This is actually shocking to me because I thought they were cool with 'out of sight, out of mind.'

one of 2058295s of reason I dont live n Ohio.

[musical_soul]

24. They can't do that, can they?

It's one thing to tell us what to do in the state where we live, but to say we can't do something in another state? States shouldn't be allowed to say what we can do elsewhere.

They're creating all these crazy laws hoping somebody will push it int he Supreme Court and they're hoping that will lead to an overturn of Roe. Scumbags.

[mwooldri]

26. Anything in it about country lines?

Ohians could go to Europe and have one on the European tax payer if they qualify in a regular hospital. Or go to China to a private hospital.

And anything about "menstrual regulation"??

Mark.

[senseIsntCommon]

27. Two Thoughts and My Two Cents

1. Move out of Ohio to another state. Don't go back. Better yet, move to Europe.

2. If you go to a doctor in another state, how can they look at your medical records without a court order? They're confidential. The doctor could refuse to cooperate and what could Ohio do to them since they're licensed in the state they're in.

What it boils down to is they want women uneducated, barefoot and pregnant at home with a bunch of kids who can grow up and be sent off to fight in unjust wars. Wow, that sounds like Nazi Germany. Nah! Couldn't be.

*Theocratic, Fascist Empire coming soon to a local government near you!*