Ohio 'heartbeat' abortion bill could be test case for overturning Roe v Wade

[portlander23]

Ohio 'heartbeat' abortion bill could be test case for overturning Roe v Wade
Amber Jamieson
The Guardian

The Ohio state legislature threw down the gauntlet this week to the supreme court, passing a new anti-abortion “heartbeat” bill that would ban terminations from as early as six weeks, the most severe restrictions in the country.

Ohio politicians say they were motivated to push through the bill by Trump’s win, believing they might find a more friendly US supreme court that would uphold the law.

On Thursday, the Ohio state legislature passed another anti-abortion bill, which would ban abortion from 20 weeks. Currently 18 states have enacted some form of 20-week abortion ban, and Allen noted that lawmakers may be pushing the “heartbeat” bill as a red herring while the other, also controversial measure flies under the radar.

Kasich, who ran as a moderate during the Republican primaries but has signed several restrictions on abortion into law in the last few years, will have to decide whether to sign one or both bills into law, veto them, or ignore them, in which case they would automatically be enacted into law within a few weeks.

[Mc Mike]

1. Yes. Thanks. Rec, nt.

[edhopper]

2. reproductive rights

are one of the many things we will lose in the next four years.

[blitzburgh55]

3. Call Kasich's office

CALL TO ACTION
#calltoaction
Urgent Action in Ohio!
The Ohio Senate, an amendment was passed to HB493 - a bill dealing with reporting of child abuse - to prohibit abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected (usually around 6 weeks). The amendment was introduced at the last minute and passed in violation of Senate rules.
This restriction goes far beyond the current 24 week limit, and is certainly unconstitutional. The state will have to spend millions of taxpayer dollars defending a law that even Republicans agree has little chance of succeeding in the court.
We are asking everyone to call Governor John Kasich and ask him to line item veto the the heartbeat amendment. His office number is [phone]. The time to call is now.
Please share and call.

Here's the script:

I am calling Governor Kasich to express my opposition to House Bill 493, the so-called “Fetal Heartbeat” bill. This bill is modeled on similar laws in Arkansas and North Dakota that have been deemed unconstitutional by two different U.S. Courts of Appeals. In addition to likely being unconstitutional, it also takes away women’s rights to make decisions about their own reproductive health. Finally, this bill was passed in a completely undemocratic fashion. The provision that takes away women’s reproductive rights was added at the last minute to an unrelated bill. I urge Governor Kasich to veto this bill.

Governor John Kasich
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6117
Phone: [phone]

You can also post a message on his website:

[el_bryanto]

4. That's clearly what it's intended to do.

Even if they don't overturn Roe v Wade, the structures imposed by this bill would make abortions much more difficult to get (and it's already too difficult).

Bryant

[TwilightZone]

5. It's intended to fail.

The idea is to pass something ridiculous to make their intended bill, which will be nearly as ridiculous, look tame by comparison.

They've been doing the same thing in other states. Lower the expectations so that the "compromise" bill, which was their preference all along, looks better.