Following the announcement that the Supreme Court had decided to overturn Roe v. Wade, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval joined Interim City Manager John Curp, City Councilmembers, and Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio Monday to introduce legislation policies designed to protect women and individuals with uteruses rights to choose.
“Cincinnati and its local government profoundly, unabashedly, and unequivocally support a woman’s right to choose,” said Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval on Monday morning on the steps of City Hall. “And we will do everything in our power to preserve that. To the thousands of women in our city who are terrified, frustrated, and angry right now I say this. You are not alone and Cincinnati is going to fight like hell for you.”
According to a press release from the Mayor’s office, the policies include, “Repealing a 2001 ordinance restricting the City’s ability to cover elective abortions in its health plan. Upon repeal of the ordinance, the Administration will change the City’s health plan to include abortion-related services, to the extent allowable under Ohio law. The Administration will implement a travel reimbursement policy for the cost to travel for healthcare services that aren’t locally available and not covered by the City’s health plan.”
Ohio’s Government All Pissed Off!
Ohio’s Gov. Mike DeWine, Attorney General Dave Yost, and the state legislature support the Ohio law which imposes a six-week restriction, so the city of Cinncinati can expect to be facing a court hearing at some point. In response, Mayor Aftab Pureval says, “We anticipate that they will do everything that they can to disrupt our efforts. But that will not deter us from fighting as hard as we can to protect the women in our communities.”
Pureval goes on to say, “We anticipate that they will do everything that they can to disrupt our efforts, but that will not deter us from fighting as hard as we can to protect the women in our communities.”
The mayor says wants to know how the city can ensure abortion is not a crime by the end of July. He has also been clear about the fact that he does not want Cincinnati police to go after women or doctors who engage in what he called personal health care decisions.
Mayor Pureval joins other politicians and public figures across the US in opposing the Supreme Court’s decision, giving us all a reason to have some home.
If you want to know how you can join the fight to protect reproductive rights, read the article below.
