Supreme Court decision: Ohio officials react as Roe v. Wade overturned

Reaction came quickly to the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade.

In a 6-3 decision, the court held there is no longer a federal constitutional right to an abortion and abortion rights and restrictions will be decided by the states. In Ohio, a six-week abortion ban, called the "heartbeat bill," has been on hold in federal court since 2019. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, filed a motion soon after Friday's decision to allow the law to take effect.

Here's what he, other elected officials, abortion rights supporters and abortion opponents had to say.

More on Roe v. Wade: The U.S. Supreme Court just overturned Roe v. Wade. What does it mean for Ohio?

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Roe v. Wade: Supreme Court decision: Ohio officials react as Roe v. Wade overturned

Attorney General Dave Yost

“This decision returns abortion policy to the place it has always belonged: to the elected policy branches of government. Roe was poorly reasoned, a doctrine of shifting sands that invited perpetual litigation.

“We will continue to debate this issue. But passion is not a license to violence. I call again on my federal colleague, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and my fellow states’ attorneys general to publicly commit to holding violent protesters accountable under the law, no matter which side they are on.”

Senate President Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican

"Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of life and liberty. Our members have consistently defended the lives of babies yet to be born. We will continue to do so, as we evaluate what additional resources pregnancy centers and young families may need. I look forward to reviewing the specific details in the opinion, so that as we move forward, any legislation we pass in the Ohio Senate follows the guidance of the court, protecting life, and upholding the Constitution. Today, we celebrate a long overdue turning point in our nation's history."

Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima

“Today’s ruling is welcome news for all who believe in the sanctity of innocent human life, as I do. The process of reviewing the decision is underway, including what steps should be taken at the state level and the timeline for doing so. We will be working closely with Governor DeWine, Attorney General Dave Yost and our colleagues in the Ohio Senate on this matter."

Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington

“I am extremely concerned about what this ruling means for women, especially in Ohio where Statehouse Republicans have prioritized banning abortion, punishing women and throwing doctors in jail. Criminalizing health care will only put peoples’ lives in danger.

“As Americans, we know people should have the fundamental freedom to make decisions about their bodies and health care. We have spent more than 50 years fighting for this right, and despite this setback, we won’t give up now. Democrats will continue protecting women’s freedom to access the healthcare they need, including abortion.”

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted

"As we transition as a nation from Roe to Dobbs, we all need to do our best to understand and respect the heartfelt, genuine differences of opinions among our families, friends, neighbors and communities. Being an adoptee who started life in a foster home, my own experience helped shape my views on this issue. I’m here today because my birth mother chose life and put me up for adoption, which I know could not have been an easy decision for her. My prayer for all of us is this collective experience will build a more compassionate nation that values life."

Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis

“When I originally began my work here at Ohio Right to Life 14 years ago, the idea of Roe being overturned in my lifetime seemed completely out of reach. Today’s Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court finally reverses the most destructive court decision in our nation’s history that is responsible for over 62 million deaths.

“Ohio now can save countless innocent lives. Ohio Right to Life encourages our pro-life legislative majorities and Governor DeWine to be ambitious and end abortion once and for all in our great state. We are dedicated and prepared to pass our Human Life Protection Act and send it to Governor DeWine’s desk as soon as possible.

“While we should pause to reflect and give thanks for this life affirming decision, we must also recognize that our work is far from over. We will continue to labor every day until all life—from conception until natural death—is protected under Ohio law. All Ohioans must work together to help women in need to ensure they have access to the best health care and support services so that they can have a healthy pregnancy and raise their child to fulfill their God given purpose.”

Kersha Deibel, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region

“What’s important to know is that today, right now, abortion is legal in Ohio.

“This news comes as no shock but is infuriating to witness. This decision does not represent the needs of the people where 80% of Americans support access to abortion care. We will continue to fight for abortion because abortion is health care and health care is a human right. This changes nothing for us at this moment. We will continue to open our doors, continue to see our patients, continue to connect patients to resources and continue to take care of those who need us. No matter what.”

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Terrace Park

“Today’s ruling is consistent with my view that policy questions regarding abortion should be decided by the elected representatives of the people, not the Supreme Court. Through its ruling today, the Court made this clear. The states already play a significant role in abortion policy, but have been constrained by various Supreme Court rulings. Now the issue of abortion will be decided by the states and the elected representatives closest to the people.

“While abortion is a very sensitive and emotional issue with strong feelings on both sides, I think most Americans agree that human life is precious and should be protected wherever possible. To that end, we should do more to work together in a bipartisan manner to promote adoption, reduce the number of abortions, and provide support for pregnant women in difficult circumstances.”

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland

"For 50 years, women in America had the right to make their own personal health care decisions. Today, 5 judges handed that right over to politicians. This will be the first generation of women to grow up with fewer rights and freedoms than their mothers and grandmothers. And we know this burden will be disproportionately carried by low-income women and women of color.

"This is a radical decision by an increasingly out-of-touch court. When, how, and whether to have a family is one of the most personal and meaningful decisions we make in life. Everyone should have the freedom to make those decisions, free from political interference.

"The President and Congress must take action to restore protections for women to make their own health choices. And women will make their voices heard in voting booths around Ohio and the country this November."

U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Columbus

“Today’s decision is the direct result of Republican court-packing and a gift to the most extreme sect of the Republican party. The vast majority of Americans support the right to choose, reproductive rights, and access to safe abortions; however, the will of the American people has been overturned by a small handful of fundamentalists who believe in government-mandated pregnancies. A woman’s right to choose should be non-negotiable. More than anything, I am worried for the people who need an abortion, and who will no longer be able to access one, or, worse yet, will be criminalized for seeking out services. And unfortunately, we know it will be women of color who will be hurt the most by this. Where there was once certainty and safety in settled law, there will soon be confusion and legal chaos. It is vital we pass federal legislation to secure access to reproductive care.”

Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Paduchik

"A grave injustice of judicial activism has been overturned, and the right to govern is restored to the people of Ohio. This is a historic day for all Americans who worked for decades to defend unborn children."

Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters

“Ohioans’ fundamental right to reproductive care, including abortion and birth control, is on the line in this year’s election. This disastrous decision lays squarely at the feet of Ohio Republicans - from J.D. Vance to Mike DeWine to extremists in the statehouse - who have spent years working to strip women of their basic rights and enacting new, cruel restrictions that would punish survivors of rape and incest.

“It is critical that Ohioans elect Tim Ryan, Nan Whaley and pro-choice Democratic candidates up and down the ballot in November who will protect the right to abortion. We will continue to fight so that women can make these personal decisions with their doctors and without unwanted and unnecessary interference from politicians. This November, Ohioans will take their outrage to the polls and defeat the extremist Republicans who gutted our freedom to choose.”

Pro-Choice Ohio Executive Director Kellie Copeland

“The most important thing that Ohioans need to know today is that abortion is still legal in Ohio. There are nine clinics across the state and several in neighboring states that can safely and legally provide abortion care for patients. Today’s ruling is devastating, but it is not the end.

“If you want to know who’s to blame for this attack on our basic human rights, look at Governor Mike DeWine and members of the Republican Party. They have spent decades methodically passing legislation and litigating cases to dismantle Roe v. Wade and destroy protections for our bodily autonomy, access to abortion, contraception, and comprehensive sex education. In Ohio, they gerrymandered their way into power, and have defied the Ohio Constitution, the Supreme Court of Ohio, and the majority of Ohio voters in a desperate attempt to hold onto that power. They intend to rule Ohioans, not represent us. We must not submit to that tyranny.

“Mike DeWine, Dave Yost, and Republicans in the Ohio Legislature are doing everything in their power to ban all abortions with no exceptions. If they succeed, it will have a disproportionately harmful impact on Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, the young, people with disabilities, LGBTQ and non-binary people, as well as those living in Appalachia and other rural communities. But make no mistake, it will touch all of us. Though some people may be able to travel out of state to access care, and others may be able access medications to safely manage their own abortions at home, others will not be so lucky. What will happen to the person who has to continue a pregnancy against their will? Or the person who has a serious pregnancy complication in Ohio and it is not legal for their doctor to save them? People have already been faced criminal investigations for miscarriages. And what about people who are struggling with infertility when In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is no longer available in our state?

“Pro-Choice Ohio and our allies have fought, and will continue to fight, to keep abortion legal and accessible as long as possible, for as many as possible. We will fight to protect those who need abortion care, and those who provide that care from criminalization. We will never forsake them. The only strategy we are not willing to consider is surrender. We are the majority. We will prevail.”

J.D. Vance, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate

"I am 37 years old, and for my entire life abortion on demand—decreed by an unelected panel of judges—has been forced on the nation. Today is a great day. It vindicates a half century of work, and gives us an opportunity to live up our founding creed—that all of us are truly created equal.

"We now enter a new phase of the pro-life movement. We will continue the fight to ensure that every young mother has the resources they need to bring new life into the world. We will build an economy where it’s possible to sustain and support our children. We will expand adoption and promote pregnancy centers, so that every child has the loving home they deserve. Some of our efforts will be federal, and others local, but all will be focused on the simple principle that life is worth protecting—from the moment it begins until its natural end.

"In the Hebrew Bible, God tells Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” This wisdom echoes through the ages in our hearts and in our minds; now it falls to us to ensure it is reflected in the laws of our nation."

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo

“There are no more personal decisions than those that are made within the domain of the family. Such decisions should be guided by individual belief – not by the beliefs of unrelated strangers. For some, bearing children involves no medical crisis or difficult circumstance. But that is not the case for all. The overturning of Roe v. Wade means that the rights of every woman – including those who have been sexually assaulted or whose lives are threatened – are no longer theirs. Instead, these rights are now held by the Supreme Court and state legislatures. Every woman and family should be able to retain the freedom to make these decisions of conscience. The Supreme Court’s ruling eviscerates that essential freedom.”

Nan Whaley, former Dayton mayor and candidate for Ohio governor

"This is no longer a hypothetical. Unfortunately for women in Ohio, the Court’s decision to strike down Roe means that Governor DeWine will move to criminalize abortion. That means women in Ohio will have the right to a safe and legal abortion taken away from them, even if their life is at risk or if they’ve been the victim of rape or incest. It’s exactly what Mike DeWine and the extremists in the Ohio Legislature want, and that’s unacceptable."

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: SCOTUS Roe v. Wade: Reactions pour in from Ohio officials