Toledo City Council members discuss abortion access initiatives

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Members of Toledo City Council held a press conference Wednesday announcing options for the city to protect abortion access after the Supreme Court ended constitutional protections for the procedure.

Council members Nick Komives, Cerssandra McPherson, and Michele Grim gathered at One Gov. Center, announcing ten members of council have signed-on to a letter explaining their opinion and options for Toledo after the supreme court decision left the question of abortion rights up to states.

Potential moves by council include providing funding for those seeking abortion access, ensuring that city resources won’t be used to prosecute those performing the procedures, and protecting data privacy for pregnant people, according to the letter released by city council. You can read it in full below.

The council members said it is now the responsibility of local governments to defend access to abortion.

“The dire consequences of this action were felt in Ohio almost immediately with the state’s outrageous six-week abortion ban becoming law just hours later,” said Grim at the press conference. “We’ve all read the story of the 10-year-old girl, a survivor of rape, who was forced to travel to Indiana to end her pregnancy. And we all know this is just the beginning.”

Immediately following the press conference, the council’s Health Promotion and Access committee met to discuss policy options to increase reproductive health care access.

“If you think this ruling doesn’t affect you, you’re wrong,” said Komives. “The reality is this: many people don’t want to have to face that decision but they shouldn’t be forced into a decision. That’s what this is about. People should have the ability to make their own decisions for their own lives.”

Council member McPherson said the Supreme Court decision is about more than just abortion access, saying other rights could come under attack.

“If Roe v. Wade is overturned, what about Brown v. Board of Education? What about the right to vote? What about equal rights?” McPhearson said.

Council member Komives said anyone looking to support abortion can consider donating to the Aggie Fund.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2022 WTVG. All rights reserved.