COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Ballot Board met on Monday to discuss the citizen-initiated constitutional amendment called “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety.”

What You Need To Know

  • The Ohio Ballot Board decided the abortion amendment would be only considered as one constitutional amendment under Ohio law

  • People from both sides of the argument attended the meeting 

  • The move gives a green light to collect signatures for the upcoming ballot

The board had to determine if the petition contained only one proposed constitutional amendment under Ohio law. After much discussion, the board approved the citizen-initiated ballot amendment, giving the go-ahead to collect signatures for the upcoming ballot.

Both supporters and opponents of the amendment had the chance to present their arguments before the board. Some of those who opposed the amendment feared that it would allow late-term abortions in the Ohio Constitution.

"Abortion is currently legal in Ohio up to 21 weeks, seven days," said Jordyn Close, deputy director and board president of the Abortion Fund of Ohio. "So this initiative, I don't really see changing the gestational limits in the state largely."

Dr. Amy Burkett, an OB-GYN from the Akron-area and a member of Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, wants to protect reproductive rights.

"The amendment itself addresses viability based on a physician's best judgment of the technology available at the time. And a late-term abortion is a term that we do not use in health care," Burkett said. 

Michael Gonidakis, with Ohio's Right to Life, expressed concern the amendment could enshrine late-term abortion in the state constitution.

"Once something goes into the constitution, it stays there forever. We cannot enshrine late-term abortion into our state constitution," Gonidakis said. 

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose acknowledged the strong beliefs on both sides of the issue and anticipates the debate will continue in the coming months.

The next step for groups who believe in the amendment is to collect signatures. To begin gathering signatures, the petitioners must create a petition with a copy of the title and full text of the proposed constitutional amendment.

The petition must have the following statement printed at the top: "Initiative petition amendment to the constitution proposed by initiative petition to be submitted directly to the electors." Once signatures are collected, the amendment will be sent to the Secretary of State's Office.