Federal judge blocks Ohio abortion bill from taking effect

A federal judge blocked Ohio's harsh new restriction from taking effect while a legal challenge from the ACLU goes forward, The Columbus Dispatch reported Wednesday.

The legislation, signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine (R) back in April, prohibits abortions after the first detectable fetal heartbeat, which is usually around the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy. It includes an exception to save the life of the mother but does not have exceptions for pregnancies conceived through rape or incest. The law would have taken effect on July 11. Similar "heartbeat bills" have already passed in five other states, though two are held up by court challenges.

The ACLU previously pledged to fight Ohio's bill in court, and announced the order from Judge Michael Barrett on Wednesday. Barrett wrote that the abortion providers challenging the bill were "certain to succeed on the merits," under the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. DeWine and other lawmakers pushing strict abortion bills have openly expressed that they hope the legal battle over the restrictions will go all the way to the Supreme Court to possibly challenge Roe. Read more at The Columbus Dispatch.

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