4.9 Ohio’s Bill of Rights

This section is important because it highlights how the Ohio Constitution protects your individual rights. Just like the U.S. Constitution, Ohio’s Bill of Rights ensures that you have freedoms and protections within the state.

While the federal Bill of Rights provides baseline protections applicable to all citizens across the United States, each state, including Ohio, has its own constitution and bill of rights to address specific issues and rights pertinent to its residents. This ensures that the state can offer protections and freedoms that may go beyond those provided by the federal government. Additionally, a state Bill of Rights serves to reaffirm and reinforce federal protections, ensuring that residents’ rights are upheld at both state and federal levels.

Abortion is an explicit right in the Ohio Bill of Rights that is not found in the U.S. Bill of Rights as of 2023. Article I, Section 22 of the Ohio Constitution gives people the right “to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions.”

Understanding your rights helps you recognize the protections you have and the role of the state constitution in maintaining your freedoms.