ACLU, Ohio abortion clinics challenge heartbeat law, which bans abortion after 6 weeks, in federal court as unconstitutional and ask the court to stop the new state law from going forward pending the outcome of the suit....By editor Kathy Wray Coleman of Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog
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| Ohio abortion advocates, as part of the Freedom of Choice Ohio Coalition, pose for a picture following a protest at the statehouse in Columbus on Dec. 27, 2018 against abortion bans in Ohio |
By Kathy Wray Coleman, political and investigative reporter and editor-in-chief
CLEVELANDURBANNEWS.COM-COLUMBUS, Ohio-Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio and other state abortion clinics filed suit in federal district court on Wednesday, saying the heartbeat law that makes abortion illegal once a heartbeat is detected, which can occur in as early as six weeks depending on the method of detection, is unconstitutional. Sponsored by state Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-27), a Hudson Republican, Senate Bill 23 is one of Ohio's most restrictive abortion bill's since Roe v Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that made abortion legal nationwide.
Gov. Mike DeWine, who took office in January after defeating Democrat Richard Cordray last year in a close election, signed the controversial fetal heartbeat bill into law April 11.
Ohio Attorney Dave Yost, who won election last year over Democrat Steve Dettelbach, a former district attorney for the Northern District of Ohio in Cleveland, has vowed to vigorously fight the law suit.
Unofficially dubbed the heartbeat bill, Senate Bill 23 was passed by the state legislature along partisan lines.
Opponents of the new anti-abortion law, led by the ACLU, had promised to meet DeWine and Ohio's state legislature in court, calling the law unconstitutional on its face via Roe v. Wade, and in conflict with court rulings that permit abortion until a fetus develops, usually at about 24 weeks of pregnancy.
The ACLU full-filled its promise on Wednesday, filing the suit and also seeking a stay or an order that prevents the state law from taking effect on July 11 as scheduled pending the outcome of the lawsuit.
Republicans control both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly, and they hold every statewide office in Ohio, including the governor's office, aside from two of the seven seats on the Ohio Supreme Court, those two seats won last year by Democrats Michael P. Donnelly and Melody Stewart, the first Black and first Black female elected to the state's high court.
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Pro-Abortion groups, led by Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, and the National Organization for Women Ohio Chapter, have protested vigorously over the issue, including several times at the statehouse in Columbus.
At the time Ohio's attorney general, DeWine campaigned for governor with his position against abortion a key part of his campaign platform.
He said then that he would quickly sign the heartbeat bill into law if and when it hits his desk as governor.
Physicians who violate SB 23 by performing an abortion when a fetal heartbeat has been detected or performing an abortion without determining whether there is a heartbeat, face a fifth-degree felony that carries a potential penalty of six to 12 months behind bars, and a $2,500 fine.
Similar bills have been passed by state legislatures in six other states, including Kentucky, Mississippi and Georgia, with courts blocking such-type of bills in North Dakota and Iowa.
A 2016 presidential candidate, Kasich said he vetoed the heartbeat bill in 2017 and again last year because they were “clearly contrary to Supreme Court rulings."
The former governor, however, signed another bill last year that severely restricts abortion into law.
Senate Bill 145, which bans dilation and evacuation abortions, commonly known as D & E abortions, is now state law just like the heartbeat bill.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog with some 5 million views on Google Plus alone.Tel: (216) 659-0473 and Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, and who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.
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