Ohio aims to jail doctors under a Heartbeat Bill

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USA TODAY — COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lawmakers in the GOP-controlled Ohio House passed one of the nation's most restrictive abortion bans Wednesday afternoon.
Senate Bill 23 would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected and prosecute doctors who perform them anyway. It passed the Ohio House of Representatives, 56-40.
As lawmakers debated the "heartbeat bill," dueling groups of demonstrators chanted outside the House chamber so loudly they could be heard on the other side of the Statehouse. One side yelled "stop the bans" and "my body, my choice" while the other chanted "Jesus" repeatedly.
There were tears and prayers.
Under the bill, doctors would face a fifth-degree felony punishable by up to a year in prison for performing an abortion after detecting a heartbeat. The bill has an exception to save the life of the woman but no exception for rape or incest – in line with current state law.
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A fetal heartbeat can be found as early as six weeks gestation with a transvaginal ultrasound or at about eight weeks gestation with an abdominal ultrasound. The bill would neither require nor exclude transvaginal ultrasounds.
Ohio law already requires doctors to inform women if a fetal heartbeat is detected and the statistical probability of bringing the fetus to term.
Lawmakers in the Ohio House made some changes to the version the Senate passed last month. They increased the fine that the state medical board could impose on physicians who perform these abortions to $20,000.
"Americans and Ohioans have been waiting for this bill," said Rep. Candice Keller, R-Middletown. "They agree that a child is a child when their heart is beating."
Rep. Tim Ginter, an ordained minister, cited several Biblical passages in support of restricting abortion in Ohio.
"Is the fetus a person, regardless of the level of development? I believe it is," said Ginter, R-Salem.
Democratic Rep. Beth Liston, an internal medicine and pediatrics physician, said there was no way for a fetus to survive outside the uterus at six weeks gestation or even 12 weeks gestation.
"Simply put, you need lungs and a brain to live, and no amount of technology we have will change this," Liston said.
On Wednesday, Democrats offered a slew of amendments to offer an exemption for rape and incest, eliminate the statute of limitations on rape, prevent taxpayers from paying the legal bill for the imminent court battle and exempt African-American women from the abortion ban and even require DNA from all men to ensure child support is paid.
All were rejected by the GOP-controlled House.
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Democrats expressed frustration with the amount of time devoted to abortion restrictions rather than tackling infant mortality, education or drug addiction.
Proponents of abortion access are expected to file a lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of the law – similar to legislation passed in Arkansas, North Dakota, Iowa, Kentucky and Mississippi. To date, all courts have found the legislation unconstitutional; some litigation is ongoing. The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to take up the issue so far.
"If this is what it takes, we'll see you at the Supreme Court," said Iris Harvey, chief executive officer and president of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio.
The heartbeat bill has been introduced five times since 2011. Former Gov. John Kasich vetoed it twice, saying Ohio would foot a costly legal bill defending the unconstitutional proposal.
The Ohio Senate will need to approve the House's changes before sending the bill to Gov. Mike DeWine's desk. DeWine has already said he would sign the anti-abortion legislation.
Follow Jessie Balmert on Twitter: @jbalmert
Originally Published 4:12 pm EDT Apr. 10, 2019
**Updated 4:41 pm EDT Apr. 10, 2019**

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Texas is considering a law to impose capital punishment on abortion providers.