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RIGHT TO LIFE ACTION COALITION OF OHIO
Friday Five

Barry Sheets, Legislative Consultant
April 5, 2019


The cause of life is advancing rapidly in Ohio, as we are moving toward the observance of the Resurrection. 


NEWS AND VIEWS

1. Senate Bill 27, the Humane Disposition of Fetal Remains legislation, has been assigned in the House to the Civil Justice Committee, chaired by Rep. Steve Hambley of the 69th District (see profile below). Senator Joe Uecker's bill to require abortion providers to arrange for humane burial or cremation should the woman decline to choose one, may be scheduled for hearings in the near future. This is the third time this bill has passed the Senate and sent to the House, with both previous times occurring later in the session. Pray this earlier time frame will ensure the bill's ultimate passage into law.

2. The House Health Committee accepted on a party-line vote a substitute bill for Senator Kristina Roegner's Senate Bill 23, which incorporates a large number of amendments that should, as the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports, make one of the nation's strongest pro-life measures even stronger. One change includes a title change: the Heartbeat bill will now be known as the "Human Rights Protection Act" at the Statehouse. It is anticipated the Human Rights Protection Act will be marked for a committee vote next week, and likely floor action as well.

3. The Second District Court of Appeals has handed abortionist Martin Haskell of Dayton notice they have rejected his appeal of an Ohio Department of Health action to revoke his licensure for violations of health and safety standards. Barring an appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court (which must be filed before the end of April), this could mean the Women's Med Center in Kettering will be closing for business and ending their butchering of unborn children.  Please pray the newly-appointed Director, Ohio Department of Health, Dr. Amy Acton, will act swiftly once the appeal deadline has passed to finish the closure of this facility.

4. Liberty Counsel, headed by attorney Mat Staver, has publicized findings showing that the Ohio State University, through the state-budget funded Cooperative Extension Program, has been promoting pro-LGBTQ+ programming for Ohio's county 4-H programs. Interim 4-H Ohio director Kirk Bloir is quoted, as responding to the question of what parents who believe in traditional values might think, thus: "If parents or volunteers don't like that, then we are not the program for them." Note to our legislators: look carefully at the significant amount of funding being directed to Ohio State and the Cooperative Extension program-and what you are buying with that funding.

5.  In a rather quiet way, the biopic "Unplanned" is shifting the debate on life issues. It is receiving very positive reviews, even from those who are most definitely not pro-life. Read one very honest and thought-provoking review  here .
 

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PROFILES

Ohio Department of Administrative Services Director Matthew Damschroder
Damschroder leads the department that ensures the physical plant of state government operates correctly, interacts with the private sector efficiently, and hires the right personnel. Damschroder is no stranger to Ohio government. Previously, he served eight years under then-Secretary of State Jon Husted, first as state elections director and then as assistant Secretary of State and Chief of Staff. Damschroder holds an M.A. in Public Policy and Management from the Ohio State University and was the former Director of Franklin County Board of Elections. 

Senator Steve Wilson (R)
Wilson was appointed during the 132nd  General Assembly and is serving his first full term in the Ohio Senate representing the citizens of the 7th  District in Warren County.  Wilson, from Maineville, is a former CEO of LCNB National Bank and sits on the board of trustees for Miami University.  Wilson is a reliable pro-life vote and was a co-lead sponsor of Senate Bill 145, the Dismemberment Abortion ban law currently being challenged by abortion groups in court.

Representative Steve Hambley (R)
The chairman of the House Civil Justice Committee is serving his third term representing the 69th House District, which includes his home base of Brunswick. Hambley formerly served as a Medina County Commissioner and is an adjunct professor of Government and History at Lorain County Community College. Hambley has consistently voted pro-life during his tenure in office.

Representative Paula Hicks-Hudson (D) 
Toledo's first African-American female mayor now represents the 44th House District in Lucas County. She is the ranking member of the Finance subcommittee for Agriculture, Development and Natural Resources and serves on the House Civil Justice Committee. Hicks-Hudson is a graduate of Spellman College, holds degrees in Political Science and Journalism and earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa. She has worked with Legal Aid Society, was an assistant county prosecutor and chief legal counsel to the Ohio OBM under Governor Strickland. She is on the board of the NAACP, the YWCA, and is past president of the Thurgood Marshall Law Association. Hicks-Hudson is married with two adult daughters and serves as minister of music at Redeemer Lutheran Church. She has yet to cast a vote on pro-life legislation in the 133rd Assembly.

Representative Brett Hillyer (R) 
A first-term representative from the 98th  House District calls Uhrichsville home. Hillyer is an attorney and joint owner of title services businesses and the former city law director of his hometown. Hillyer serves as vice-chairman of the House Financial Institutions Committee and sits on the Civil Justice Committee. He has introduced legislation to prohibit the death penalty for aggravated murder offenders who suffered from serious mental illness at the time of the offense and one that would prohibit challenges to laws under the single-subject rule after a certain time period has elapsed. (These are the type of challenges abortion groups file in court against pro-life measures in other bills such as the state budget bill.). He has yet to cast a vote on pro-life measures during this session.



Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati is a proud member organization of the 
Contact: Meg Wittman, Executive Director, Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati, 513/728-7870.

Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati is a grassroots organization, which exists to ensure that pro-life principles of protection and dignity for all innocent human life are upheld and kept before the public; Jack Hart, President. Affiliated with Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio.