Ohio House bans abortion for Down syndrome diagnosis, opposed by Planned Parenthood
The Ohio House overwhelmingly passed a bill outlawing aborting a child because of a possible Down syndrome diagnosis.
The Down Syndrome Non-Discrimination Act (HB 214) bans abortionists from terminating a pregnancy based on prenatal prediction of Down syndrome. The Ohio Senate has not yet acted on the bill.
Rep. Sarah LaTourette, R-Chesterland, says the bill stops lethal discrimination against children with Down syndrome.
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“This bill is about so much more than abortion,” LaTourette explained. “It’s about discriminating against some of our most vulnerable, discriminating against an unborn child simply because they might have a Down syndrome diagnosis. That’s something that I find absolutely unacceptable.”
“Today’s vote is a vote against modern-day eugenics, plain and simple,” Ohio Right to Life’s Mike Gonidakis stated in a press release. “While aborting a human child is always wrong, we should all agree that there is something particularly egregious about targeting babies with disabilities for destruction.”
“After seeing the horrors of eugenics play out in the 20th century, it is appalling that this legislation is even up for debate,” the pro-life president added.
Planned Parenthood is asking its supporters to fight HB 214, calling the legislation an “awful bill“ that “do(es) nothing to improve or protect patient’s health.”
Down syndrome is genetic. One in 691 babies is born with Down syndrome.
Down advocate Frank Stephens testified before a congressional committee that those with Down syndrome have fulfilling lives that are definitely worth living.
Amniocentesis testing can be wrong, and newer, less invasive testing gives a false “positive” 50 percent of the time or more. The Boston Globe published a major studyby the New England Center for Investigative Reporting that concluded “hundreds” of parents are aborting healthy babies.
“We have an obligation to protect our friends with Down syndrome, not only because they can teach us to be a more loving and empathetic society, but because they, like all of us, are endowed with the fundamental right to life,” Gonidakis said. “Ohio is paving the way for a society that stands up to discrimination and defends the most vulnerable among us.”
Penalties for violating the proposed law include the abortionist losing his or her license to practice in Ohio and up to 18 months in jail, in addition to personal liability costs.
[…] Syndrome Non-Discrimination Act, or HB-214, passed the legislature last year, and Governor John Kasich (R) signed it into law on December 22. Abortionists violating […]