TOLEDO, Ohio — Pro-choice advocates are working to get abortion access on Ohio's ballot this November, but they need nearly 413,000 signatures in 44 counties by July 5 to make it happen.
Ohio State Representative for District 43 and reproductive rights advocate Michele Grim (D-OH) was out collecting some of those signatures while outside the United Auto Workers Local 12's Union Building on Saturday.
This came one day after a federal judge in Texas halted the use of mifepristone, the most commonly used medication for abortions which Grim said made the days events even more urgent.
"I think it's really important that we enshrine reproductive rights in the Ohio Constitution to make sure those rights are protected," said Grim.
Driver after driver pulled up to sign their names throughout the afternoon with the goal to get the proposed Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health & Safety on the November 2023 ballot.
"People were really excited to sign the petition they were excited to come out," said Grim. "So I'm really grateful for everyone that came out today."
The proposed amendment would amend Article 1 of Ohio's constitution, allowing every individual the right to make and carry out their own reproductive decisions.
Opponents of the amendment, like Ohio State Representative for District 41 Josh Williams (R-OH) and other Republican lawmakers are supporting legislation which could make it harder to amend the Ohio constitution and effectively make it harder to overturn Ohio's restrictive abortion law.
The legislation, Joint Resolution 1, is still under house review. It would require a vote of at least 60% of electors to approve any constitutional amendment as opposed to the current threshold of 50%.
Williams released a statement on Joint Resolution 1 recently:
"I support this resolution not because it will stop this push towards legalizing abortions. Instead, I support this resolution because it will make it harder to allow groups to shape our state without the overwhelming support of voters."
Representative Grim said there is even an effort around the state to get up to 7-hundred-thousand signatures. In Ohio right now, abortions are still legal up to 19 weeks, according to Planned Parenthood.