Name: Ohio abortion opponents are concerned about GOP move to limit Health Director Amy Acton's authority
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Ohio abortion opponents are concerned about GOP move to limit Health Director Amy Acton's authority

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&nbsp;COLUMBUS - While Republicans work&nbsp;to curb the Ohio Department of Health director's power to issue orders, one conservative group is urging lawmakers to pump the brakes: abortion opponents.That's because the director&nbsp;has the authority to order abortion clinics closed. Greater Columbus Right to Life worries&nbsp;that if changes passed by the Ohio House&nbsp;take effect, orders to close abortion clinics would&nbsp;last only 14 days or would need approval from a legislative panel.“While we in no way believe that the cleanliness of a surgical abortion facility legitimizes abortion, we also know that one of the last tools to ensure health and legal standards are met is a Director’s Order to revoke a license,"&nbsp;Beth Vanderkooi, executive director of Greater Columbus Right to Life, wrote in a letter to Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof Thursday."Such an order should not be subject to the proposed 14-day limit and supermajority committee vote scheme," she wrote.Obhof told The Enquirer that was "a pretty significant problem.""This is a problem that you face when you do things at the last minute instead of having a longer legislative process and airing things out," said Obhof, R-Medina.But several House Republicans&nbsp;said that anti-abortion advocates' concerns were unfounded, and that the Ohio Department of Health's ability to issue orders regarding abortion clinics would not change."Greater Columbus Right to Life is way out to lunch," Green Township Rep. Bill Seitz told The Enquirer. "That’s just a complete red herring and distraction."Curbing Ohio Department of Health powerLast week, the GOP-controlled Ohio House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1, which included changes to limit the authority of the state health department to issue orders during a health&nbsp;emergency. The bill would also&nbsp;allow any Ohioan to file a lawsuit over the orders.For an order to last more than 14 days,&nbsp;state health officials would need approval from six lawmakers on a 10-member legislative panel called the&nbsp;Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.The changes were&nbsp;in response to&nbsp;health orders that&nbsp;director Dr. Amy Acton has issued in recent months to close businesses and polling locations.Democrats warned that the last-minute changes hadn't been properly vetted before the vote. Interestingly, groups like Greater Columbus Right to Life agree.Ohio Right to Life executive director Stephanie Ranade Krider initially told The Enquirer&nbsp;that the House changes could put more ambiguity into the process of regulating abortion clinics. After additional legal review, Krider said Ohio Right to Life no longer had that concern.NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio also wasn't concerned that abortion clinics would be affected by the House change. That doesn't mean they support the legislation."Time and time again the Ohio General Assembly introduces and passes bills that are not supported by science and medicine, and this latest attack on the ODH director just continues this pattern," executive director Kellie Copeland said.Awaiting Senate actionStill, Vanderkooi asked Obhof to address the unintended consequence in the Senate, which must vote on the revised bill.“While the current political context that has prompted the bill is obvious and I have a strong appreciation for the balance of powers between branches of government, I am concerned that (the law) is written so broadly that it will have unintended consequences," she wrote.Copied on the letter were Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, and Sen. Robert McColley, R-Napoleon, who are working on legislation to limit the length of future Ohio Department of Health orders and end current restrictions on businesses and staying at home.Obhof said that he's interested in reviewing the state law that gives the Ohio Department of Health power to issue orders, perhaps to protect Ohioans against constitutional violations perpetrated by governors in other states. But Senate Bill 1 isn't the right vehicle. For one, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has already promised to veto it.Obhof said legislators' focus this week should be finishing the reopening of the state's economy. He is also concerned that the House-added language would allow Ohioans to file lawsuits blocking or demanding new health orders."I’ve been concerned that this language is, in fact, a double-edged sword," he said.

&nbsp;COLUMBUS - While Republicans work&nbsp;to curb the Ohio Department of Health director's power to issue orders, one conservative group is urging lawmakers to pump the brakes: abortion opponents.That's because the director&nbsp;has the authority to order abortion clinics closed. Greater Columbus Right to Life worries&nbsp;that if changes passed by the Ohio House&nbsp;take effect, orders to close abortion clinics would&nbsp;last only 14 days or would need approval from a legislative panel.“While we in no way believe that the cleanliness of a surgical abortion facility legitimizes...

Ohio abortion opponents are concerned about GOP move to limit Health Director Amy Acton's authority

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