State leaders, organizations react to Ohio Issue 1 passing

State leaders and organizations are reacting after Ohio voters decided to pass Issue 1 Tuesday.

>> Ohio voters pass Issue 1 on abortion access

Senator Sherrod Brown released the following statement:

“Tonight, Ohioans made it clear that women’s health care decisions should be between them and their doctors, not politicians. That’s what I’ve always believed and will continue to fight for in the U.S. Senate. My opponents disagree and have made it clear they would overrule Ohioans by voting for a national abortion ban. While my opponents work to ban abortion, I will continue fighting for and standing with the people of Ohio.”

>> WHIO Election Page

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati released the following statement:

“The people of Ohio missed this important opportunity to demonstrate that the health and safety of women, the fundamental rights of parents, and the lives of preborn children deserve protection.”

“The passage of Issue 1 shows that there remains a desperate need for conversion of hearts and minds to a culture of life in our country, one that respects the inherent dignity and sacredness of every human being from conception to natural death,” the statement continued.

Statement from President Joe Biden on Ohio Issue 1:

“Tonight, Americans once again voted to protect their fundamental freedoms – and democracy won. In Ohio, voters protected access to reproductive health in their state constitution. Ohioans and voters across the country rejected attempts by MAGA Republican elected officials to impose extreme abortion bans that put the health and lives of women in jeopardy, force women to travel hundreds of miles for care, and threaten to criminalize doctors and nurses for providing the health care that their patients need and that they are trained to provide. This extreme and dangerous agenda is out-of-step with the vast majority of Americans. My Administration will continue to protect access to reproductive health care and call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law once and for all.”

Vice President Kamala Harris releases statement:

“Today, voters in Ohio approved a constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedom. They stood with the majority of Americans who believe that politicians should not interfere with a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.”

Read the full statement here.

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A statement from J. Bennett Guess, executive director at the ACLU of Ohio said in part:

“This is a critically important and impressive victory for the people of Ohio. We have finally enshrined the explicit right to abortion care, miscarriage care, contraception, fertility treatments, and the right to continue your pregnancy into our state constitution. Once again, the people have shown that we will not put up with anti-abortion politicians banning access to abortion. It is your body, your rights, without the threat of extremist politicians getting in the way any longer.”

Erica Wilson-Domer, President & CEO at Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio and Lauren Blauvelt, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, released the following statement:

“This win marks a new beginning for Ohio, where individuals now have the right to make their own reproductive decisions without government interference. Despite the significant challenges we faced from our opposition’s disinformation campaign and attempts to suppress votes, Ohioans made it clear once and for all that abortion rights are a constitutional right. Our state remains a beacon of hope to so many across the nation and once again proves that voters will show up to defend their right to abortion.”

Protect Women Ohio’s Board of Directors released a statement:

“Our hearts are broken tonight not because we lost an election, but because Ohio families, women, and children will bear the brunt of this vote.

“But rest assured: the pro-life movement is more united than ever. We stand ready during this unthinkable time to advocate for women and the unborn, just as we have always done. We persevered for 50 years to overturn Roe v. Wade. Ours is a movement that has always endured, and always will. Tomorrow, the work starts again as we fight to be a voice for the voiceless and advocate for women and parents.”

Read the full statement here.

News Center 7 will continue updating this story as more statements are released.

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