When Ohio legislators in December passed the heartbeat bill, which would make abortions illegal once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, former Gov. John Kasich’s refused to sign it into law.
But state legislators — who came one vote short of overriding Kasich’s veto — are giving new life to the bill, which is expected to pass in March. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a pro-life Republican, has already vowed he will “absolutely” sign the controversial legislation. The bill is being introduced in both houses by Republicans, in the state Senate by Kristina Roegner and in the House of Representatives by Ron Hood and Candice Keller.
Both sides of the abortion debate are preparing for the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned. Roegner said the heartbeat should be the new standard, not the viability of the fetus.
“The presence of a heartbeat is a universally recognized sign of life,” Roegner argued Wednesday. “If government exists to protect the weak and vulnerable, then the point when that begins should be clear.”- READ MORE