Senate Passes Johnson Bill to Protect Babies Born Alive After a Failed Abortion
November 6, 2019
Terry Johnson News
COLUMBUS—The Senate passed Senate Bill 208 today, sponsored by State Senator Terry Johnson (R-McDermott), which would take important steps to ensure babies who are born-alive after a failed abortion receive the same medical care as other babies, regardless of the circumstances of their birth.
"This legislation acknowledges, promotes and preserves the dignity of human life," said Johnson. "Every new born infant deserves our compassion and care, no matter where we stand in the broader abortion debate."
In addition to the medical care provisions, this legislation creates reporting requirements and penalties for the attending physician who fails to report a born-alive baby. While individual stories will remain confidential, the Department of Health will publish annually the number of babies who survive abortions.
Current federal law recognizes that all infants born at any stage of development, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the birth, are “persons.” However, supporters of this legislation believe this recognition alone is insufficient to provide protections for infants born-alive following an attempted abortion. “The Born-Alive Infant Protection Act is a vital protection of defenseless babies that survive failed abortions. This bill would stand ready to protect these helpless infants and require they are given proper medical attention at their most critical moment," said Stephanie Ranade Krider, Vice President of Ohio Right to Life. "In addition, current Ohio law does not require reporting number of babies that survive these abortion or that a physician provide lifesaving care to the baby, and this legislation will solve that. These babies deserve protection under law like infants born under any other circumstance.”
The Senate today also passed the Abortion Pill Reversal Information Act, co-sponsored by Senator Johnson. This legislation would require doctors prescribing abortion-inducing drugs to also provide written information informing the patient of scientifically proven abortion reversal procedures in the event she changes her mind within the first two days. For more information on the Abortion Pill Reversal Information Act, click here. Senate Bills 208 and155 will now be sent to the Ohio House of Representatives for consideration.
Current federal law recognizes that all infants born at any stage of development, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the birth, are “persons.” However, supporters of this legislation believe this recognition alone is insufficient to provide protections for infants born-alive following an attempted abortion. “The Born-Alive Infant Protection Act is a vital protection of defenseless babies that survive failed abortions. This bill would stand ready to protect these helpless infants and require they are given proper medical attention at their most critical moment," said Stephanie Ranade Krider, Vice President of Ohio Right to Life. "In addition, current Ohio law does not require reporting number of babies that survive these abortion or that a physician provide lifesaving care to the baby, and this legislation will solve that. These babies deserve protection under law like infants born under any other circumstance.”
The Senate today also passed the Abortion Pill Reversal Information Act, co-sponsored by Senator Johnson. This legislation would require doctors prescribing abortion-inducing drugs to also provide written information informing the patient of scientifically proven abortion reversal procedures in the event she changes her mind within the first two days. For more information on the Abortion Pill Reversal Information Act, click here. Senate Bills 208 and155 will now be sent to the Ohio House of Representatives for consideration.