WASHINGTON: The US state of Ohio has voted to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution, with early results showing that more than 55 per cent of the people have backed the ballot measure. Abortion is currently legal in Ohio until 22 weeks of pregnancy.
With 93 per cent of the vote in as of early Wednesday morning, the measure, known as Issue 1, passed by a margin of 55.8 per cent to 44.2 per cent, CBS News reported..
Issue 1 extends an unbeaten record for ballot measures designed to protect abortion rights since the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade — which gave the Constitutional right to abortion — in June last year. This is the seventh such measure to pass.
The amendment will change the state’s constitution to include protections for abortion access.
It will establish “an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment,” including on abortion, contraception and miscarriage care, the BBC reported. The ballot measure explicitly prohibits the state from “directly or indirectly burdening, penalising or prohibiting abortion” before viability, which is generally considered to be around 23 weeks of pregnancy.
It also allows the state to bar abortion after the point of viability except in instances where the patient’s doctor determines the procedure is needed to protect life or health.
In the 111 years since Ohio first granted voters the power to introduce citizen-led amendments, just 19 of 71 proposed measures have passed.
In a statement issued on Tuesday night, President Joe Biden celebrated the results and reiterated that his administration will work to protect access to reproductive health care, CBS News reported. (IANS)
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