130th Ohio General Assembly
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Sub. H. B. No. 239  As Passed by the Senate
As Passed by the Senate

126th General Assembly
Regular Session
2005-2006
Sub. H. B. No. 239


Representatives Schneider, Reidelbach, Brinkman, Faber, Seitz, Kearns, Flowers, Hood, Aslanides, Blessing, Bubp, Buehrer, Coley, Collier, Combs, Daniels, DeGeeter, Distel, Dolan, Domenick, Driehaus, Fessler, Garrison, Gibbs, Gilb, Hagan, Hoops, Kilbane, Latta, Law, Martin, McGregor, J., Oelslager, Patton, T., Raga, Raussen, Reinhard, Schaffer, Seaver, Setzer, Smith, G., Taylor, Trakas, Uecker, Wagner, Wagoner, Walcher, White, J., Widener, Widowfield, Willamowski, Wolpert, Calvert, Cassell, Core, White, D., Schlichter 

Senators Jacobson, Jordan, Clancy, Gardner, Amstutz, Austria, Carey, Cates, Grendell, Hottinger, Mumper, Niehaus, Padgett, Schuring, Schuler, Harris, Spada, Wachtmann 



A BILL
To amend section 5101.55 and to enact sections 9.041, 3701.511, 3702.33, and 5101.56 of the Revised Code to declare that it is the public policy of the state to prefer childbirth over abortion, to permit any person to petition a court of common pleas for an order enjoining the operation of a health care facility without a license, to modify the laws governing public funding of abortions, and to prohibit the use of funds appropriated for genetic services to be used for abortion-related purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That section 5101.55 be amended and sections 9.041, 3701.511, 3702.33, and 5101.56 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 9.041. It is the public policy of the state of Ohio to prefer childbirth over abortion to the extent that is constitutionally permissible.
Sec. 3701.511.  None of the funds appropriated to administer the programs authorized by sections 3701.501 and 3701.502 of the Revised Code shall be used to counsel or refer for abortion, except in the case of a medical emergency.
Sec. 3702.33. Any person who believes a health care facility is operating without a license in violation of division (E) of section 3702.30 of the Revised Code may petition the court of common pleas of the county in which the facility is located for an order enjoining the facility from continuing to operate without a license. The court shall grant the order on a showing that the facility named in the petition is violating division (E) of section 3702.30 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 5101.55.  (A) No person shall be ordered by a public agency or any person to submit to an abortion.
(B) The refusal of any person to submit to an abortion or to give consent therefor shall not result in the loss of public assistance benefits or any other rights or privileges.
(C) State or local public funds shall not be used to subsidize an abortion, unless the abortion is necessary to preserve the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant woman and this fact is certified in writing by the performing physician to the state or local agency providing the funds except as provided in section 5101.56 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 5101.56. (A) As used in this section, "physician" means a person who holds a valid certificate to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery issued under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code.
(B) Unless required by the United States Constitution or by federal statute, regulation, or decisions of federal courts, state or local funds may not be used for payment or reimbursement for abortion services unless the certification required by division (C) of this section is made and one of the following circumstances exists:
(1) The woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy, that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed.
(2) The pregnancy was the result of an act of rape and the patient, the patient's legal guardian, or the person who made the report to the law enforcement agency, certifies in writing that prior to the performance of the abortion a report was filed with a law enforcement agency having the requisite jurisdiction, unless the patient was physically unable to comply with the reporting requirement and that fact is certified by the physician performing the abortion.
(3) The pregnancy was the result of an act of incest and the patient, the patient's legal guardian, or the person who made the report certifies in writing that prior to the performance of the abortion a report was filed with either a law enforcement agency having the requisite jurisdiction, or, in the case of a minor, with a county children services agency established under Chapter 5153. of the Revised Code, unless the patient was physically unable to comply with the reporting requirement and that fact is certified by the physician performing the abortion.
(C)(1) Before payment of or reimbursement for an abortion can be made with state or local funds, the physician performing the abortion shall certify that one of the three circumstances in division (B) of this section has occurred. The certification shall be made on a form created by the Ohio department of job and family services known as the "Abortion Certification Form." The physician's signature shall be in the physician's own handwriting. The certification shall list the name and address of the patient. The certification form shall be attached to the billing invoice.
(2) The certification shall be as follows:
I certify that, on the basis of my professional judgment, this service was necessary because:
(a) The woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, that would place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion was performed;
(b) The pregnancy was the result of an act of rape and the patient, the patient's legal guardian, or the person who made the report to the law enforcement agency certified in writing that prior to the performance of the abortion a report was filed with a law enforcement agency having the requisite jurisdiction;
(c) The pregnancy was the result of an act of incest and the patient, the patient's legal guardian, or the person who made the report certified in writing that prior to the performance of the abortion a report was filed with either a law enforcement agency having the requisite jurisdiction or, in the case of a minor, with a county children services agency established under Chapter 5153. of the Revised Code;
(d) The pregnancy was the result of an act of rape and in my professional opinion the recipient was physically unable to comply with the reporting requirement; or
(e) The pregnancy was a result of an act of incest and in my professional opinion the recipient was physically unable to comply with the reporting requirement.
(D) Payment or reimbursement for abortion services shall not be made with state or local funds for associated services such as anesthesia, laboratory tests, or hospital services if the abortion service itself cannot be paid or reimbursed with state or local funds. All abortion services for which a physician is seeking reimbursement or payment for the purposes of this division shall be submitted on a hard-copy billing invoice.
(E) Documentation that supports the certification made by a physician shall be maintained by the physician in the recipient's medical record. When the physician certifies that circumstances described in division (C)(2)(b) or (c) of this section are the case, a copy of the statement signed by the patient, the patient's legal guardian, or the person who made the report shall be maintained in the patient's medical record.
(F) Nothing in this section denies reimbursement for drugs or devices to prevent implantation of the fertilized ovum, or for medical procedures for the termination of an ectopic pregnancy. This section does not apply to treatments for incomplete, missed, or septic abortions.
(G) If enforcement of this section will adversely affect eligibility of the state or a political subdivision of the state for participation in a federal program, this section shall be enforced to the extent permissible without preventing participation in that federal program.
Section 2.  That existing section 5101.55 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.
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