Big wins for pregnancy help in Ohio budget

By: Tabitha Goodling, originally published August 7, 2025, Pregnancy Help News

The recently passed Ohio state budget has some notable wins for pregnancy help. The life-friendly budget elements championed by the state legislature’s pro-life caucuses affirm the importance of pregnancy help and take tangible steps to support and expand it. Governor Mike DeWine signed the budget July 1.

The budget is example of how life states continue to act in support of women and families following the 2022 Dobbs ruling sending abortion regulation back to the states, in contrast to abortion states that have sought to enshrine abortion in their consitutions and limit options presented to women facing unplanned pregnancy to abortion only. While Ohio had the unfortunate passage of Issue 1 two years ago this November, codifying abortion in the state constitution, the state’s FY 26-27 operating budget provides concrete life-affiring alternatives to abortion.

Highlights of the new Ohio budget include up to $20 million available through the Ohio Parenting and Pregnancy Program to support pregnancy centers and other organizations that serve pregnant women, $2.5 million per year to fund a statewide ultrasound machine program, a new deduction of up to $750 per year per taxpayer (versus per household) now available for Ohioans who donate to pregnancy centers, and $20 million allocated for responsible fatherhood initiatives.

The budget also contains continued support for the state’s Adoption Grant Program and $500,000 dollars per fiscal year to its Maternal and Infant Housing Assistance program.

The budget components beneficial for pregnancy help are designated for not-for-profit entities that do not charge for their services, that “promote childbirth, parenting, and alternatives to abortion,” and are “not involved in or associated with any abortion activities …”

The non-profits must meet one or more TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) requisites.

Specifics are available HERE.

Additionally – and importantly – the Ohio Department of Health is now required to expand abortion reporting transparency, including publishing monthly abortion data online and releasing the annual state abortion report by March (instead of October), ensuring timely access to this important information.

Previously abortion reporting in Ohio had been required once a year in October. With the new budget, abortion reporting will be required monthly with no more than a five-month delay.

Abortion reporting has been consistenly problematic on the whole as there is no set standard at the federal or state level an some states do not participate.

Local pregnancy help advocates view the tax deduction as a step forward for recognition of pregnancy help in Ohio’s tax code and plan to work toward making this a tax credit in the future. It is a win as well that there was an increase in the Ohio Parenting and Pregnancy Program funds while also having the deduction available.

The deduction also applies to maternity homes, includes in-kind donations, and is effective for this whole tax year, meaning that Ohio residents can start donating to pregnancy centers now and then file with the deductions next April 15.

Rules for applying for grants with the ultrasound program are still forthcoming.

The Ohio legislature had designated June as Responsible Fatherhood Month. The $20 million in the new budget for fatherhood initiatives will benefit programs that encourage the engagement of fathers with their families, as well as events and media efforts to raise awareness about fatherhood.

The Ohio Pro-Life Caucus is also working with the state Department of Health to determine and establish best practices for caring for women and children, versus this being outsourced to an entity such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), which supports abortion.               

Local pro-life and pregnancy help advocates say the Ohio FY 26-27 operating budget signals recognition and respect for the work that pregnancy help organizations are doing and will be effective in further building a culture of life in the state.

Tabitha Goodling has been writing for media outlets for more than 20 years in her home state of Pennsylvania. She has served as a client services manager at her local pregnancy center since 2018.

Image: Pregnancy Help News – OH Gov. Mike DeWine signs FY 2026-2027 OB into law/Governor.Ohio.gov