BY RACHEL DELGUIDICE
Life News reported on Aug. 29th that all Ohio abortion facilities are out of compliance with Ohio law, yet these clinics continue to perform abortions.
Thanks to stricter laws, the numbers of abortion clinics in Ohio have been trickling down. Today, eight abortion clinics remain in Ohio.
Cincinnati.com reports that the Columbus Center for Complete Healthcare for Women has decided to “discontinue surgical abortions.” Furthermore, Women’s Med in Sharonville, Ohio reportedly abandoned its court fight and is the second abortion clinic to close in the past two weeks.
Why are these clinics not in compliance with Ohio law? It is because none of them hold up-to-date licenses from the Ambulatory Surgical Facility. These licenses must be renewed and approved every year for clinics to operate legally in Ohio.
There is certainly a sort of stalemate in this area of “healthcare” as the Ohio Department of Health has not approved or denied their licensing applications.
These new clinic closings are attributed to several increasingly stringent bills passed by Governor John Kasich last year. Some of these new regulations include the agreement that clinics will transfer patients to area hospitals in case of emergency and that the director of the state department of health has the authority to “revoke variances given to clinics without a transfer agreement.”
“We want clinics to be safe,” said Kellie Copeland, the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, in a Washington Post article. “But our fear is that this red tape, and really that’s all it is, will be used as an excuse to close clinics.”
Even though these eight clinics do not have approval from the state of Ohio, they continue to operate. While it may be tempting to put all the blame solely on the clinics, it is important to realize that the Ohio Department of Health does hold responsibility as well for this situation.
The Ohio Department of Health is shielding the remaining abortion clinics from the law by ignoring the approval of their licenses.
“It’s wonderful news and shows that the tide is turning,” said Molly Sheehan, President of Franciscan University Students for Life. “But we have to keep fighting, praying and working for the day when all abortion clinics are closed in this state and our country.”