Judge Blocks Ohio’s Heartbeat Bill From Going Into Effect

(News/Talk 1480 WHBC) – A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Heartbeat Bill from going into effect in Ohio.

In April, Governor DeWine signed the bill which bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Opponents of the bill say many women don’t even know they’re pregnant at that point and it amounts to a virtual ban on abortion in Ohio.

The bill allows for an exception if the mother’s life is at risk, but not for instances of rape or incest.

The ACLU sued over the bill which was set to take effect in July.

“Today the Court has upheld the clear law: women in Ohio (and across the nation) have the constitutional right to make this deeply personal decision about their own bodies without interference from the State,” said Freda Levenson, Legal Director for the ACLU of Ohio.

“This would ban nearly all abortions by preventing people from obtaining care at about 6 weeks – a time when many women do not even realize they may be pregnant. Abortion bans like this one have been blocked across the country by numerous courts.”

Similar abortion bans have been blocked by the courts in Mississippi and Kentucky.

In April, people protested Governor DeWine’s appearance at the Canton Civic Center.