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Catholic Conference of Ohio supports no state-funded death bill

News of the Diocese

February 4, 2025

The Catholic Conference of Ohio participated in a press conference to introduce a new bill prohibiting state funding that intentionally terminates human life at any stage and circumstance in Ohio.

Bills to prohibit state-funded death will soon be introduced in the Ohio Senate, led by Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Sen. Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City), and in the Ohio House of Representatives, led by Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) and Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland). Both bills would abolish the death penalty, reinforce current law banning state funding for abortion, and expand protections against assisted suicide by linking these prohibitions together.

The CCO said uniting the state’s prohibition on funding any one of these practices protects current pro-life laws, especially from future litigation, by binding them to broader bans on state funding. While these issues have strong opinions on their own, the bills seek consensus that Ohioans’ tax dollars should not fund practices that they believe immorally end a human life.

Brian Hickey, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, spoke at the Jan. 28 press conference in the Ohio Statehouse in support of the bills.

“This legislation reflects a consistent ethic of life, a principle the Catholic Church has long championed in her defense of human dignity from conception to natural death. The Catholic Conference of Ohio fully supports this unique and urgent answer to the moral dangers facing our state and its fiscal consequences. Our taxpayer dollars should be used for the common good, not in a way that takes life. We urge the House and Senate to act decisively to pass this bill, making Ohio a leader in affirming a culture of life,” Hickey said.

Rachel Muha, founder of Run the Race Center, which focuses on supporting inner-city youth, also spoke in favor of the proposed bills. Muha’s son was murdered at age 18 while attending college. Instead of seeking the death penalty for the perpetrators, Muha chose forgiveness and dedicated her life to providing young people in marginalized communities with love and hope while speaking against the use of the death penalty.

Antonio said ending the death penalty in Ohio has been pursued for decades and the idea is supported by a majority of Ohioans, she added.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio, which was established in 1945, is the official representative of the Catholic Church in matters of public policy affecting the Church and the general welfare of the citizens of Ohio. Click here for more information on the organization. Learn more about Ohio’s legislative process in which a bill becomes law by clicking here.

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