Posted on 04/11/2019 4:50:56 AM PDT by Lowell1775
COLUMBUS —
With opposing protest groups outside the chamber, the Ohio House on Wednesday voted 56-39 in favor of a controversial heartbeat abortion ban bill.
The Ohio Senate voted shortly after, 18-13, to approve House changes to the bill later today, giving it the final legislative approval.
Gov. Mike DeWine has promised to sign it into law.
Once law, it will be the most restrictive abortion measure in Ohio since the procedure was legalized 46 years ago by the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Roe versus Wade.
It would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks before women even know they’re pregnant. Doctors could also face fines of up to $20,000 from the State Medical Board of Ohio.
Both sides of the abortion issue believe it’ll immediately face a constitutional challenge in federal court. Ohio will be the seventh state to enact a heartbeat abortion ban law and several others are considering such legislation.
The GOP-controlled House tabled several amendments offered by Democrats, including one to mandate a DNA database for all men in Ohio so that child support orders can be enforced and one to require paid maternal leave and reasonable accommodations for pregnant and breastfeeding women in the workplace.
The bill contains exceptions if the pregnant woman’s life is in danger but has no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. Two Democrats spoke on the House floor about their own sexual assaults.
The debate pitted those who believe a fetus is a human being with rights against those who believe women should have the right to control their own bodies before the point of viability for a fetus.
In 2017, there were 20,893 abortions in Ohio, according to the state Department of Health.
House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, said lawmakers should now turn their focus on more important issues such as affordable housing, job opportunities and education.
Dayton Rep. Fred Strahorn, the region’s only Democratic lawmaker, was the only local representative to vote against the bill. All local senators voted for the bill except for Sen. Bob Hackett, R-London, who was absent.
Objective is to appeal it thru the Federal Court systems as the baby killers fight it tooth and nail. Hope is SCOTUS will one day reverse Roe v Wade based ruling on one of these state passed laws.
OHIO PING!
“Heartbeat abortion bill now up to Ohio Gov. DeWine”
http://freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=3741186%2C1
Please let me know if you want on or off the Ohio Ping list.
I’m encouraged that seven states have passed this legislation, and several cities are considering it. When it gets to the Supreme Court, the more it’s been passed, the better. A heartbeat bill is fair. Though I don’t personally agree with “rape and incest” exclusions, they do seem to be what some “pro-choice” people want. A heartbeat bill would allow for that. It would also incentivize women, when there really is a case of rape or incest, to report it in a timely way. That will help law enforcement get it right, save the woman from outside pressure as a pregnancy becomes noticeable, and save men from bogus claims.
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