WKSU News: Abortion-rights groups say the Statehouse pulled a fast-one

Thursday, June 25, 2015 Abortion-rights groups say the Statehouse pulled a fast-one A provision inserted in the budget will likely close the last abortion clinic in Toledo by WKSU's STATEHOUSE BUREAU CHIEF KAREN KASLER	Reporter Karen Kasler

Protesters gathered at the Statehouse gathered after Republicans inserted a provision in the state budget that will likely close Toledo's last abortion clinic.

Courtesy of KAREN KASLER

Reproductive-rights advocates rallied at the Statehouse todayregrouping after a last-minute addition to the Ohio budget that could force the closure of the only remaining abortion clinic in Toledo. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports.

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A requirement that an abortion clinic have a transfer agreement with a hospital no more than 30 miles away was added to the budget in the midst of a marathon late-night conference committee debate.

Rep. Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, wasn’t surprised.

“I expected something, and it’s sad, because it is a political football,” Antonio said.

Antonio and other lawmakers appeared at pro-choice gathering – and Ohio Right to Life’s Stephanie Krider also stopped by, saying the amendment was the result of lots of talks.

“We’ve been working for months, I guess behind the scenes, with a lot of those legislators just trying to figure out how we can close those loopholes and hold abortion clinics accountable,” Krider said.

However, a Toledo judge has ruled abortion language in the budget is unconstitutional.