Gov. John Kasich on Tuesday used his line-item veto authority to strike down the so-called “heartbeat bill” legislation that would have created the most restrictive abortion law in the nation.
At the same time, Kasich signed into law a separate piece of legislation, SB 127, that forbids abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, a move that certainly will prompt court challenges.
“I agree with Ohio Right to Life and other leading, pro-life advocates that SB 127 is the best, most legally sound and sustainable approach to protecting the sanctity of human life,” Kasich said in a statement. The bill has no rape or incest exception.
The heartbeat bill would have banned abortions once a heartbeat is detected. That can happen as early as six weeks and sometimes before a woman even knows she is pregnant.
The language of the heartbeat bill was inserted into a separate piece of legislation as lawmakers wound down the current session of the General Assembly. The bill – legislation addressing the reporting laws for child abuse cases – included an appropriation of money. That allowed the governor to veto only the heartbeat bill language while signing the rest of the bill’s provisions into law.
Ohio Right to Life, an anti-abortion advocate, opposed the heartbeat bill, labeling it as an unconstitutional action that would set back other anti-abortion efforts. Similar measures to the heartbeat bill have been struck down in other states. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected efforts to appeal those decisions.
The General Assembly could try to override Kasich’s veto, but when the legislation was passed last week it did not receive enough votes in the House for an override.
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