DEAR EDITOR:

Come on Republican Ohio lawmakers. We are better than this. You are using the state budget to continue to blur the lines of separation of state and church. The current state budget allows doctors and medical staff the ability to refuse to treat anyone if it violated their “moral or religious beliefs.” But it doesn’t stop there.

This could mean that a pharmacist has the right to question a person before providing certain medications. Is this respecting personal and health information entrusted to them, which is part of their professional standards, or is it making judgment calls and giving them legislative free reign? Does this also include insurance companies that could refuse to pay for a claim on the same grounds that it violates their moral opinions? This will give them more footing to deny legitimate claims. Does this permit the right to refuse services to the LGBTQ community?

The only groups cheering for this action are religious groups. Others are recognizing this as a back-door approach to limit reproductive choice, limit access to birth control and push religious agendas that do not belong in government.

DONNA ZIELINSKI

Niles