COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — The debate about whether part of the state’s Heartbeat Act , which bans abortion after six-weeks, can go into effect is still underway.
Back in 2022, when Roe V Wade was overturned, Ohio’s heartbeat act went into effect — banning abortions after six weeks. It was quickly taken to court and still remains in the hands of a Hamilton County judge. “We all need to emphasize that the fight for reproductive rights is not over,” Representative Anita Somani (D-Dublin) said.
During all this time, Ohioans passed an amendment to allow abortion to the point of fetal viability , which is typically around 22-24 weeks. What does that mean for the six-week ban?
While Attorney General Dave Yost said their argument concedes that the six-week ban portion of the bill is now unconstitutional, he argues the repeal of the law “should go no further.” He said all the questions about the amendment versus law are not straightforward.
“Some of them are very broad and clear and we’ve conceded a few of those, some of them are much more nuanced and subtle,” Yost said. For example, the defense argument points to, whether an abortion provider is legally obligated to tell the pregnant woman if they hear a heartbeat. That is part of the Heartbeat Act and Yost argued it is not unconstitutional under the new amendment.