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For Immediate Release December 7, 2016 Contact: Amy Lebowitz, Camino PR [email protected] / 212.255.2575

Black women leaders condemn abortion bans Statement from New Voices for Reproductive Justice CLEVELAND — Yesterday the Ohio House and Senate passed the Heartbeat Bill, which would ban abortion after six weeks, so early in pregnancy that most women would lose the access to abortion care. Another restrictive bill, SB127, which would ban abortion after 20 weeks, passed in the state Senate and will be heard by the House this week. The six-week ban has been sent to the governor for his signature or veto. La’Tasha D. Mayes, executive director of New Voices for Reproductive Justice, released the following statement in response: “Once again, politicians are threatening to endanger the health, rights and dignity of women by restricting our access to abortion, which is a critical health care option. Private medical decisions should be the domain of women — not politicians. “The Heartbeat Bill and SB127 would eliminate or severely limit access to the constitutionally affirmed right to abortion. Not only do these bills fly in the face U.S. Supreme Court decisions affirming abortion rights, they make no exceptions for rape or incest. While SB127 has a narrow health exception, it is inadequate, while the Heartbeat Bill makes no exception for health at all. If signed into law, these proposed bans would imperil women’s safety and deny our autonomy and bodily integrity. “Ohio women and women across the country already struggle to access affordable health care. The federal Hyde Amendment and the state of Ohio prohibit the use of public funds to pay for abortion, blocking access for patients who depend on the federal or state governments for their health care, including women living in poverty or on reservations and women in the military, among others. In Ohio, women must navigate a host of restrictions designed to stop them from getting an abortion, including anti-abortion counseling followed by a 24-hour waiting period, mandatory testing for the fetal heartbeat often involving an ultrasound and parental consent for minors. The Beatty Building | 5907 Penn Avenue, Suite 340 | Pittsburgh, PA 15206 412.363.4500 (o) | www.newvoicespittsburgh.org | [email protected]

“Women of color, women earning low wages or living in poverty and immigrant women are disproportionately impacted by abortion restrictions, as they often face cultural biases, language challenges and other barriers to accessing health care. The last thing we need is yet another impediment to our access to health care, including abortion. “New Voices for Reproductive Justice will keep organizing and mobilizing to end barriers to quality, equitable reproductive health care, including access to safe and legal abortion. We call on Gov. John Kasich to support women’s rights and protect women's health by vetoing both of these anti-abortion bills.” For more information and facts about abortion in Ohio, visit ohioabortionfacts.org. ### New Voices for Reproductive Justice is the premier Reproductive Justice and Human Rights organization across Pennsylvania and Ohio with a mission to build a social change movement dedicated to the health and well-being of Black women and girls, the leadership of women of color and the Human Rights of marginalized communities. New Voices has served 50,000+ women of color through leadership development, community organizing, policy advocacy and culture change. We define Reproductive Justice as the Human Rights of all women/people to control our bodies, sexuality, gender, work and reproduction.