Ohio begins process to pass “heartbeat” abortion law

Lexy Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief

Ohio has passed the heartbeat abortion bill, which would ban abortion as soon as the heartbeat of the fetus can be detected (generally about six weeks into a pregnancy), even in cases of rape or incest. The next step is for the state governor, John Kasich, to either sign or veto the bill, which he has 10 days to do.

This legislation could become the strictest abortion law in the United States, should it be passed. It has been considered in past years, but was never able to pass the Senate. Arkansas and North Dakota have passed similar fetal heartbeat bills that were eventually determined as unconstitutional in federal court.

According to the Washington Post, “Some Ohio Republicans said they were empowered to support the bill because of President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade.”

Roe v. Wade is the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision to uphold women’s rights to have a legal abortion.