Buckeye Reporter

Sharon Conklin, a resident of Steubenville, Ohio, is concerned about the upcoming reproductive rights amendment proposal in the state. She believes that voting Yes on Issue 1 will create a dangerous environment for children and make Ohio a haven for child predators. Conklin argues that removing parental notifications for abortions for persons of any age will leave parents with no recourse to protect their children.

Conklin expressed her worries, stating, "A Yes vote will create a child predator’s haven in Ohio, and parents will have no recourse."

She is worried what Issue 1 will do to the state of Ohio if passed.

According to the ballot language from WKYC, Ohio’s Issue 1 would, “Establish in the Constitution of the State of Ohio an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion; Create legal protections for any person or entity that assists a person with receiving reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion; Prohibit the State from directly or indirectly burdening, penalizing or prohibiting abortion before an unborn child is determined to be viable, unless the State demonstrates that it is using the least restrictive means; Grant a pregnant woman’s treating physician the authority to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether an unborn child is viable; Only allow the State to prohibit an abortion after an unborn child is determined by a pregnant woman’s treating physician to be viable and only if the physician does not consider the abortion necessary to protect the pregnant woman’s life or health; Always allow an unborn child to be aborted at any stage of pregnancy, regardless of viability if, in the treating physician’s determination, the abortion is necessary to protect the pregnant woman’s life of health.”

Conklin said, "The section that frightens me the most is the second section that would 'Create legal protections for any person or entity that assists a person (No age limits) with receiving reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion.'” She mentioned her daughter has been prosecuting child predators in the state and "Now we want to give them Constitutional protection?"

A retired teacher, Conklin, also expressed worries about the impact of the amendment on children in classrooms. She sees "big red flags all over this amendment." 

She said the vague language such as "including, but not limited to" is purposefully used to mean "no limits." The language "persons" can apply to anyone of any age, she said, before adding that the amendment will not have any effect on current abortion laws and instead will embolden predators in the state.

According to a legal analysis of the amendment, Alliance Defending Freedom calls the language "dangerously vague," predicting if passed, it will "compromise parental rights and endanger minors and crime victims." 

"Ohio voters deserve to know exactly what they are voting on—especially when asked to amend their foundational document" the analysis continued to note. 

The amendment establishes a "fundamental right" to "reproductive freedom" for every "individual," including minors, Ohio residents, and non-residents, granting them rights related to contraception, fertility treatment, pregnancy care, miscarriage, abortion, and procedures like reproductive organ removal. These complex and potentially risky procedures could occur without parental knowledge or consent. The analysis went onto state that this could also undermine Ohio's existing parental involvement requirements, allowing minors, including those at risk of sex trafficking, to receive "no-questions-asked" abortions in the state, potentially emboldening traffickers.

A young women from Cleveland, Cecilia Martin, is also concerned with the amendment. According to the Cleveland Reporter, she said, "If this amendment passes into our constitution, we will be making it so much harder for parents to protect their kids from dangerous predators." Cecilia Martin is against Issue 1 because by removing parental rights it could enable predators to take advantage of young girls in the state. She said, "Our daughters could be targeted, groomed, and then forced into having abortions all while we never even know it's happening. We deserve more for our families."