Ohio Archives - American Atheists

Ask Governor DeWine to Veto Dangerous Religious Refusals in Health Care!

American Atheists — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 16:04:46 +0000

The Ohio Legislature has endangered all Ohioans by inserting extremely broad denial of care language into the state’s budget (HB 110). This dangerous provision allows health care providers, hospitals, insurance companies, and even employers to refuse to provide or pay for care based on their beliefs, opening the door to widespread denial of care and discrimination. Our last chance to stop this religious provision is a veto from Governor DeWine! Please act now and ask the Governor to veto this dangerous denial of care provision. The simple fact is that this religious refusal language will allow health care providers and payers to deny needed services, not for medical reasons but based on their religious beliefs, risking the health and safety of all patients in Ohio, including yours. Should your boss’s religious beliefs dictate what health care your family can or cannot receive? We say No! This provision will have unpredictable and far-reaching negative consequences, affecting health care such as contraception, end-of-life care, vaccination, pregnancy & reproductive services, counseling & behavioral health, fertility treatment, PrEP & HIV treatment, and many others. This is especially devastating to women, older Americans, LGBTQ people, people living with HIV, people with disabilities, and those living in rural areas. Please act now—ask Governor DeWine not to put the religious beliefs of hospitals and employers above patients’ health and safety!

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Ohio Residents: Stop Dangerous Religious Refusals in Health Care!

American Atheists — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 20:22:15 +0000

The Ohio Senate has endangered all Ohioans by inserting extremely broad denial of care bill language into the state’s budget (HB 110). This dangerous provision allows health care providers, hospitals, insurance companies, and even employers to refuse to provide or pay for care based on their beliefs, opening the door to widespread denial of care and discrimination. Our best chance to stop this religious provision is in the conference committee! Please act now and ask committee members to stop this dangerous denial of care language from passing into law. The simple fact is that this religious refusal language will allow health care providers and payers to deny needed services, not for medical reasons but based on their religious beliefs, risking the health and safety of all patients in Ohio. Should your boss’s religious beliefs dictate what health care your family can or cannot receive? We say No! This provision will have unpredictable and far-reaching negative consequences, affecting health care such as contraception, end-of-life care, vaccination, pregnancy & reproductive services, counseling & behavioral health, fertility treatment, PrEP & HIV treatment, and many others. This is especially devastating to women, older Americans, LGBTQ people, people living with HIV, people with disabilities, and those living in rural areas. Please act now — ask Ohio lawmakers not to put the religious beliefs of hospitals and employers above patients’ health and safety!

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Ohio Lawmakers Sneak Through Dangerous Ban on Closing Churches, Jeopardizing Public Health

American Atheists — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:40:59 +0000

Columbus, OH—Today, the religious equality organization American Atheists denounced Ohio’s ban on closing churches during this or any future pandemic. The bill, HB 272, was signed into law yesterday by Governor DeWine. More specifically, the law stipulates that “no public official shall issue an order to close all places of worship in the state or in a geographic area of the state.” “This law will needlessly put the lives and safety of Ohio’s citizens at risk. The government must be allowed to follow public health guidelines during an emergency rather than bowing to unwise mandates from powerful religious interests,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists. “Moreover, it is unfair for Ohio to show churches preferential treatment that excludes all other organizations and businesses.” HB 272 was originally intended to expand the basis of a court’s exercise of personal jurisdiction, but the Senate attached a rider with this unrelated language about preventing houses of worship from being closed to protect public health. “Rather than going through the normal legislative process and allowing the people of Ohio to weigh in, lawmakers rushed through this amendment without a single hearing. This is yet another instance of sneaky anti-democratic Christian nationalist legislation in Ohio,” added Gill. “This dangerous law puts Ohioans’ health at risk,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “We know for a fact that churches can become COVID hotspots and sources of superspreader events. This law ties the hands of local elected officials and public health agencies and forces them to sacrifice lives on the altar of a twisted appeal to religious privilege. “Infectious diseases don’t care if you’re eating at a restaurant, attending a concert, or sitting in a church. This law will cost lives the next time we’re facing a deadly pandemic,” added Fish.

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Oppose special privileges for religious activities in Ohio public schools!

American Atheists — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 19:50:15 +0000

The Ohio House of Representatives is close to passing HB 164, an outrageous bill that gives special privileges to religious students in public schools. The Senate already passed this bill unanimously — this may be our last chance to stop it! Please, tell your State Representative to vote NO on HB 164! The vague language of this bill allows students in public schools to engage in religious activities at any time throughout the day. If students are allowed to interrupt class to pray, distribute religious materials, or leave to go to a religious gathering, holding class is effectively impossible. HB 164 fosters religious coercion and allows the religious expression of some students to interfere with the education of other students. This bill needlessly replaces the reasonable provision that “The board of education may limit the exercise or expression of the pupil’s religious beliefs… to lunch periods or other noninstructional time periods when pupils are free to associate.” Tell Ohio lawmakers that existing laws protecting religious liberty in Ohio have worked well for nearly 20 years. There is no reason to repeal those protections in favor of this harmful bill! Moreover, this bill fails to protect religious minorities and nonreligious students, who are at significantly higher risk for discrimination in education based on their beliefs. The U.S. Secular Survey found that nearly one third (29.4%) of participants experienced discrimination or other negative events in education because of their nonreligious identity. It is not acceptable for Ohio lawmakers to compound this problem by granting special privileges to religious students. Please act now. Urge your State Representative to protect religious liberty and public education for all young people in Ohio by voting NO on HB 164!

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Ohio’s “Student Religious Expression” Bill Encourages Proselytizing and Interruptions During Class

American Atheists — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:06:06 +0000

Columbus, Ohio—Today, the religious equality watchdog American Atheists denounced the Senate’s 32-0 vote to pass HB 164, Ohio’s “Student Religious Expression” bill. This harmful legislation provides special privileges to religious students in public schools, allowing them to engage in religious activities and potentially interfere with the education of other students. Specifically, the bill contends that any student “may engage in religious expression before, during, and after school hours in the same manner and to the same extent that a student is permitted to engage in secular activities or expression before, during, and after school hours.” “If students can choose to pray, distribute religious materials, or leave to go to a religious gathering at any point of the school day, without warning, holding class is effectively impossible,” explained Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists, who submitted the testimony opposing the legislation. HB 164 repeals the provision that “the board of education may limit the exercise or expression of the pupil’s religious beliefs as described in this section to lunch periods or other noninstructional time periods when pupils are free to associate.” “Ohio schools may very well be forced into impossible situations where they can neither prevent a student from proselytizing to the class, nor allow it because it would infringe on the religious liberty of other students in the classroom,” explained Gill. “HB 164 will set teachers and administrators up for failure and create needless liability for school districts.”

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American Atheists Opposes Restricting Abortion Services in Ohio

American Atheists — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 21:19:02 +0000

Columbus, OH—Today, American Atheists, on behalf of its nearly 1,800 constituents in Ohio, testified in opposition to SB 23. This controversial bill would limit access for millions of Ohio women to reproductive health care. This bill seeks to criminalize women and their doctors, to undermine Supreme Court precedent protecting women’s rights, and to make it impossible for Ohioans to access legally protected abortion services. It seeks to impose one narrow religious viewpoint on the vast majority of Ohio women who support reproductive freedom. SB 23 is clearly unconstitutional. It was written purposefully in the hope that an activist Supreme Court would upend 40 years of precedent. It requires invasive, unworkable assessments of fetal heartbeat in order to create a near ban of abortion in the state. It provides an exceedingly narrow definition of medical emergencies, which would prevent doctors from taking vital action to protect women’s health. Banning abortion and limiting access doesn’t reduce the need for abortion. It just forces women into extreme situations that could risk their health and lives, and criminalizes medical providers.

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ACTION ALERT: Protect Young Women from Disfiguring Religious Practices

American Atheists — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 17:49:51 +0000

The Ohio Legislature is considering a bill to protect girls and young women in Ohio from the gruesome and dangerous practice known as female genital mutilation (FGM). Please tell your state senator to support this crucial bill! Ohio is one of just 23 states that does not prohibit this horrible practice, performed without anesthesia, all in the name of religious or cultural tradition. Fortunately, this bill has already passed the Ohio Senate unanimously. However, there was a minor amendment when SB 214 passed in the House, so it just needs one final vote in the Senate to pass into law. Please act now—ask your state senator to vote for passage of SB 214 to prohibit female genital mutilation in Ohio! SB 214 makes FGM against minors in Ohio a felony and provides for a significant fine. FGM is not a medical procedure. It is a ritual performed only in the context of religious or cultural tradition, usually by someone who isn’t a medical professional and usually without anesthesia. FGM inflicts serious injury on the victim, who is likely to endure a lifetime of medical complications. In addition to the devastating physical consequences, FGM can result in significant psychological harm. Ohio has a duty to protect its residents from these dangerous practices, regardless of tradition. This sort of religiously inspired, brutal misogyny has no place in our society. We just need one final push to ensure that this bill is passed so that girls and young women in Ohio are protected. There are only a few days left in the legislative calendar, so please ask your senator to pass this bill into law today!

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American Atheists Speaks out against Female Genital Mutilation in Ohio

American Atheists — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 20:31:08 +0000

Columbus, OH—American Atheists, on behalf of its more than 1,200 constituents in Ohio, provided testimony supporting SB 214, a bill that would protect women and girls in Ohio from harmful practices known as female genital mutilation (FGM). FGM consists in ritually cutting or altering the female genitalia for non-medical purposes. Religious communities predominately force this unethical pseudo-treatment upon young females—with non-licensed practitioners performing the work. Despite the religious significance of this tradition, it has no medical necessity or benefit. Instead, FGM frequently results in serious injury and medical complications to the victim. Beyond the devastating physical consequences, FGM can result in significant psychological harm. “As advocates for the health, safety, and well-being of all Americans, American Atheists objects to efforts to subordinate medical care to the religious beliefs of others,” wrote Alison Gill, the organization’s Vice President for Law and Policy. Ohio is one of just 23 states that does not prohibit these dangerous traditions. “Ohio has a duty to protect its residents from these dangerous practices regardless of tradition. This sort of religiously inspired and brutal misogyny has no place in our society,” added Gill. SB 214 makes FGM against minors in Ohio punishable with a second degree felony and a significant fine. In addition, this bill invalidates consent by the minor or the parent, prohibits the transportation of minors for the purpose of undergoing FGM, and exempts the legitimate practice of medicine by licensed physicians.

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American Atheists Submits Testimony Opposing Ohio’s Proposed Six-Week Abortion Ban

American Atheists — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 19:10:08 +0000

Columbus, OH—American Atheists, on behalf of its more than 1,200 constituents in Ohio, submitted testimony today in opposition to HB 258, a controversial bill that would limit access for millions of Ohio women to reproductive healthcare by banning abortion at six weeks. According to 40 years of Supreme Court precedent, HB 258 is unconstitutional. The bill would indirectly ban abortion by requiring invasive, unworkable assessments of fetal heartbeat. In addition, HB 258 would limit access to abortion services by narrowing the definition of medical emergencies. This change would prevent doctors from taking action to protect women’s lives. In testimony submitted to the Senate Committee on Health, Jim Helton, National Field Organizer for American Atheists, wrote, “These bans are not about protecting women’s health and well-being. They are about imposing their religious agenda on everyone else. Women, not lawmakers, should make these critical decisions affecting their lives. These health care decisions should be made in consultation with a doctor who knows her circumstances and not by a politician with a religious agenda.” The Tri-State Freethinkers, an American Atheists local partner, also presented testimony on the six-week abortion ban. In her statement, Kelly Helton, the group’s Equal Rights Advocate, reiterated the religious undertones of HB 258: “The 6-week abortion ban imposes a particular religious belief on all women in Ohio. It is not based on science. It is not based on medicine. We need policies in Ohio that are medically and scientifically accurate. We need policies that empower women, not ones that send us back to the dark ages.”

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American Atheists Submits Testimony Urging Ohio Lawmakers to Limit Religious Exemptions from Vaccinations

American Atheists — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 21:57:16 +0000

Columbus, OH—American Atheists, on behalf of its more than 1,200 constituents in Ohio, has submitted testimony urging Ohio lawmakers to amend HB 559, a bill related to vaccination requirements for students to attend public schools, to eliminate religious exemptions from mandatory immunizations for children attending Ohio schools. While American Atheists does not take a position on the underlying legislation, we are concerned that the bill maintains and even expands current exceptions to immunization requirements for students whose parents or guardians object to immunization “for reasons of conscience, including religious convictions.” American Atheists believes that no exception should be made from neutral immunization requirements intended to further public health and the well-being of children based on religious beliefs. Such exceptions are both unnecessary and dangerous from a medical and public health perspective. Successful population immunity to disease depends upon a significant level of vaccination since some young people are unable to receive immunization for medical reasons. […] Allowing religious exemptions needlessly puts these youth (as well as the youth who are not receiving vaccination due to the religious exemption) at risk. According to studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, children exempt from immunization requirements are more than 35 times more likely to contract measles and 6 times more likely to contract pertussis, compared to immunized children. Multiple outbreaks of measles have recently occurred in religious communities known to be either hesitant to vaccinate or completely opposed to vaccination. “No young person should be subject to harm or illness based on the religious beliefs of their caretakers or their classmates.” You can read American Atheists’ full testimony here.

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