As Ohio Republicans Attack Abortion Access, “The Ohio Supreme Court will play a critical role in determining the future of abortion access in Ohio”

As Ohio Republicans Attack Abortion Access, "The Ohio Supreme Court will play a critical role in determining the future of abortion access in Ohio"

April 13, 2026

COLUMBUS, OH - Despite Ohioans voting to protect access to reproductive health care in 2023, Ohio Republicans are continuing to go against the will of voters by working to further restrict access to abortion. With Republicans escalating their attacks on reproductive care, "The Ohio Supreme Court will play a critical role in determining the future of abortion access in Ohio," as reported by The Columbus Dispatch.

"Republicans are showing with every bill that they introduce to restrict abortion access, monitor women's pregnancies, and create more barriers for care, how critical it is for Ohioans to re-elect Justice Jennifer Brunner and elect Judge Marilyn Zayas to The Ohio Supreme Court to stand against these attacks and uphold the law," said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde. "Instead of working to lower the sky-high costs that are hurting parents and families throughout our state, Republicans are attempting to restrict access to reproductive care - even though Ohioans have made it clear that they don't want politicians in their deeply personal health decisions. It's wrong - and Ohioans will make them pay for it at the ballot box in November."

Read more from The Columbus Dispatch on Republican attempts to restrict access to reproductive care - and the critical role that The Ohio Supreme Court will play in protecting abortion access in Ohio.

The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio voted for abortion access. GOP lawmakers still push for limits
By Jessie Balmert, 4/12/26

Ohioans voted to protect abortion access in 2023. Now, Republicans are pitching multiple ways to test the limits of that constitutional amendment.

More than two years after their victory, abortion rights advocates are fighting an onslaught of proposed legislation to restrict access to medication abortion, delay abortion procedures and track pregnancies.

"It's clear that they have not accepted the will of the voters," said Kellie Copeland, executive director of Abortion Forward, which advocated for the amendment, which passed with 57% of the vote. "They are doing everything they can to engage in a multi-prong attack on the Ohio Reproductive Freedom Amendment."

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Meanwhile, abortion rights advocates have scored multiple victories in court, where local, Democratic judges have ruled in favor of abortion access. They've struck down a ban on most abortions, a 24-hour waiting period before pregnant patients can receive an abortion and a requirement that fetal remains be buried or cremated.

It's only a matter of time before these cases end up before the Ohio Supreme Court, where Republicans hold a 6-1 majority. Those who oppose abortion are eager for that day and hope the justices will impose limits on the 2023 amendment approved by voters.

But Lauren Blauvelt, executive director at Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, wants the justices to follow what she says is an unambiguous mandate from voters. "I don't believe Ohioans want their justices to act like activist judges, but to follow the clear language that they voted on," she said.

Ohio Republicans pitch multiple bills to limit abortions

The abortion rights amendment hasn't stopped Republican lawmakers from introducing and passing bills on abortion. Copeland's organization is tracking 11 bills in this legislative session alone, and she said they loosely fall into two categories.

"One is this very anti-abortion, misinformation, propaganda, kind of shame and stigma that they're pushing," Copeland said. "The other is different ways to challenge the reproductive freedom amendment itself."

Republican lawmakers have passed bills to restrict telehealth cosultations and require pregnant patients to wait 24 hours after receiving state-approved warnings to have an abortion. A GOP lawmaker recently introduced a bill that would require fetal birth and death certificates − language that could create a statewide registry of pregnancies. Another bill would require students to watch a fetal development video similar to "Baby Olivia," which was created by abortion opponents.

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A date with the Ohio Supreme Court

The Ohio Supreme Court will play a critical role in determining the future of abortion access in Ohio. The seven-member court will ultimately decide what the 2023 amendment means and what it doesn't.

That's why Republicans and Democrats are so focused on the 2026 Ohio Supreme Court races. Republicans are trying to pick off Democrats' only remaining statewide elected official, Justice Jennifer Brunner. Meanwhile, Democrats want to unseat Republican Justice Dan Hawkins.

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Beyond the Ohio Supreme Court, Blauvelt said the next governor and attorney general will also play important roles in the future of abortion access. One sets the agenda for the state, and the other determines how and when to defend abortion restrictions.

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