What is the Prenatal Equal Protection Act? New bill would effectively ban abortion in Ohio
The legislation is called the Prenatal Equal Protection Act, and it aims to extend full legal rights to fetuses from the moment of fertilization.
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'We are trying to create a constitutional debate in which we believe the state's constitution would be superseded by the U.S. Constitution,' said pro-life activist Austin Beigel, who helped craft the bill.
Beigel, a member of End Abortion Ohio, said the legislation is about ensuring what he sees as equal protection for all life — born or unborn.
'To simply say this is a person in the womb, out of the womb — we know they are human. We believe all people deserve legal protection under the law,' he said.
Supporters of the bill argue it is not about politics, but about morality.
'It is not going to permit the killing of innocent human beings, innocent people,' Beigel added.
But opponents said the bill defies the will of Ohio voters, who passed a constitutional amendment in 2023 explicitly protecting access to abortion.
'I mean, we knew on Nov. 7, 2023, that there would be plans to undermine the will of the Ohio voter,' said Jordyn Close, deputy director of the Ohio Women's Alliance.
Close said she first learned of the proposed legislation last week and was troubled by what she found.
'This bill does not account for any special circumstances. It does not account for any real-life realities for Ohioans who need abortion care,' she said.
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The bill argues that Ohio's constitutional amendment legalizing abortion should be considered invalid, claiming it violates the U.S. Constitution's equal-protection clause. But Close believes that argument won't hold up in court.
'Our fantastic legal team and legal scholars will be able to defeat this,' she said.
Supporters of the legislation are expected to hold a rally inside the Statehouse from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday as the bill is officially filed.
Whether the bill gains traction in the legislature remains to be seen, but the fight over abortion rights in Ohio appears far from over.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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