State Representative Karen Brownlee said on Mar. 27 that House Bill 347, which would require a 24-hour waiting period for patients seeking reproductive care, poses significant challenges to healthcare access in Ohio.
Brownlee said the legislation is problematic because it could create new obstacles for patients and their families. She argued that the bill threatens access by mandating doctors provide information not supported by credible medical science, including claims about reversing medication abortion.
“In a time when U.S. birthrates are plummeting, expanding and supporting evidence-based reproductive Healthcare should be a top priority in our state,” Brownlee said. “In a General Assembly that states it supports personal freedoms, parents also deserve to have politicians out of their reproductive decisions.”
The bill would impose additional appointments and waiting periods, which Brownlee said could result in financial and logistical burdens such as lost wages, childcare issues, transportation difficulties, and increased medical costs. She also noted that these delays may raise health risks for patients.
House Democrats tried to introduce an amendment on the House floor to make insurance cover IVF and assistive reproductive treatments but were voted down by House Republicans with a vote of 64-29. Brownlee further argued that HB 347 conflicts with the Reproductive Freedom Amendment passed in 2023, which she said guarantees freedom from government interference in reproductive healthcare decisions.
“Instead of addressing Ohio’s affordability crisis, HB 347 diverts taxpayer resources to enforce medically inaccurate state mandates and creates unnecessary obstacles for patients and doctors,” she said.
Brownlee concluded by saying House Democrats will continue working to protect reproductive rights and ensure accessible healthcare: “Ohioans should not face unnecessary barriers to care or additional financial burdens-policymakers must focus on protecting health, respecting choices, and making everyday life more affordable.”
