Ohio University Student Senate will vote Wednesday on whether or not to denounce a proposed Ohio House bill that would create a statewide ban on abortion.
Ohio House Bill 565 aims to make abortion illegal at any stage of pregnancy, even if the child was conceived through rape or incest and even if the mother’s life is in danger.
The bill would consider “unborn humans” to be people under Ohio’s criminal code. It would make abortion punishable by law as an act of murder, manslaughter or homicide — and both the provider and patient would be held accountable.
The proposed Student Senate bill refers to House Bill 565 as “unconstitutional legislation” that is “fiscally irresponsible.”
Senate’s bill denounces the House bill for multiple reasons, including that it “extinguishes women’s autonomy by viewing them as no more than vessels for life,” “promotes inequality by targeting women in poverty,” “poses enormous health risks” and would result in “unlicensed, unregulated and unsafe measures to receive abortion.”
Passage of Student Senate’s bill would make it possible for the body send letters of opposition to House Bill 565’s sponsors and co-sponsors, as well as state representatives. It would also allow Senate to encourage the students at OU and other Ohio collegiate student governments to denounce the Bill.
Other resolutions to be voted on include food and miscellaneous purchases for the Environmental Justice Summit, Leadership Gala and Senate candidate debate.
One resolution seeks funding to purchase approximately $58 in office supplies for the Student Senate office.
Another resolution would purchase 2,000 reusable bags for a total of $2,200. The resolution does not state where or what the bags will be used for.
