Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Ohio GOP Lawmakers Want Courts Blocked From Implementing Abortion Measure
AP: Republican Faction Seeks To Keep Courts From Interpreting Ohio’s New Abortion Rights Amendment
Four Ohio Republican state lawmakers are seeking to strip judges of their power to interpret an abortion rights amendment after voters opted to enshrine those rights in the state’s constitution this week. Republican state Reps. Jennifer Gross, Bill Dean, Melanie Miller and Beth Lear said in a news release Thursday that they’ll push to have the Legislature, not the courts, make any decisions about the amendment passed Tuesday. (Hendrickson, 11/11)
The Hill: Ohio GOP Lawmakers Call To Block Courts From Implementing New Abortion Amendment
“To prevent mischief by pro-abortion courts, Ohio legislators will consider removing jurisdiction from the judiciary over this ambiguous ballot initiative,” the lawmakers said. “The Ohio legislature alone will consider what, if any, modifications to make to existing laws based on public hearings and input from legal experts on both sides.” (Weixel, 11/10)
On other developments relating to abortion —
North Carolina Health News: New Numbers Reveal Ongoing Impact Of NC Abortion Restrictions
The number of abortions provided in North Carolina has dropped significantly after the implementation of increased restrictions in the state on July 1, according to data estimates from a national organization that tracks trends in reproductive health. During the first month operating under North Carolina’s new law that limits most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy and requires two in-person appointments for anyone seeking an abortion, the Guttmacher Institute reported that medication and procedural abortions provided in the state in July dropped by 31 percent from the previous month. A new round of data released this week demonstrates how the state’s restrictions hinder access to abortion care. (Crumpler, 11/10)
The 19th: Virginia Republicans Embraced A 15-Week Abortion Ban — And Then Lost
Virginia Republicans bet their fate on a strategy that they hoped would neutralize abortion rights and warnings from Democrats: Embrace a 15-week abortion ban with some exceptions and convince voters such a measure is a “common sense,” consensus limit. But by Wednesday morning, their enthusiasm had been dampened. Republicans’ stunning flop in Virginia suggests that even a 15-week ban may turn off a broad coalition of voters who are wary of government restrictions on the procedure. (Barclay and Luthra, 11/9)
Meanwhile, lawmakers also take aim at trans health care —
CQ-Roll Call: House GOP Eyes Trans Care As Newest Battleground Issue
House Republicans who waged fierce political battles over Obamacare and abortion after that have found a new focus as the lead-up to the 2024 elections: gender-affirming care for transgender Americans. They’ve added riders on seven of the 12 House fiscal 2024 appropriations bills that would put restrictions on gender-affirming care, which can be anything from hormone therapy to surgical care to insurance coverage of either. (Cohen, 11/10)
