Ohio Abortion Clinic Appeals State Order

A suburban Cincinnati abortion clinic is appealing a state closure order issued under newly imposed restrictions on such facilities. The Ohio Department of Health this month ordered the Lebanon Road Surgery Center of Sharonville closed after it was unable to secure a required patient transfer agreement with a hospital. Such agreements are required under state law but were made unattainable to abortion clinics in the last state budget. The clinic filed a notice of appeal Tuesday in Hamilton County Common Pleas court, saying it has complied with Ohio's laws and that the state order is contrary to law. The clinic plans to continue operating while appealing. No court hearing was scheduled immediately in the case.