· March 26, 2015

Heartbeat Bill Passes the House

The so-called “Heartbeat” bill (HB 69)  passed the House yesterday with a 55-40 vote. It prohibits the abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as 6 weeks of gestation. Doctors in violation of the ban would face fifth degree felony charges. The bill permits exceptions only in cases when the mother’s life is in danger or when she is at risk of developing irreversible damage to major body functions. Despite its passage in the House, the bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, due to objections that the proposal may be unconstitutional and face a difficult path in the courts. Whatever the fate of the Heartbeat bill, other abortion restrictions are perhaps more likely to advance. A slightly more moderate  anti-abortion proposal, the Fetal Pain Abortion Bill (SB 127 and HB 117), was proposed in both chambers mid-March. This bill is fully supported by Ohio Right to Life and would ban abortions at 20 weeks of gestation. (Anti-abortion activists claim that a fetus is capable of feeling pain at 20 weeks.) Here are the votes for the Heartbeat (6-week) Abortion Ban:

House Bill 69 Vote 3/25/2015
Yes: 55
Ron Amstutz	Niraj Antani	John Becker	Louis W. Blessing III
Terry Boose	Andrew Brenner	Thomas E. Brinkman, Jr.	Jim Buchy
Tony Burkley	Jim Butler	Margaret Conditt	Robert R. Cupp
Anthony DeVitis	Timothy Derickson	Jonathon Dever	Mike Dovilla
Timothy Ginther	Doug Green	Bob D. Hackett	Christina Hagan
David Hall	Stephen D. Hambley	Bill Hayes	Michael Henne
Brian Hill	Ron Hood	Stephen A. Huffman	Terry Johnson
Kyle Koehler	Steven W. Kraus	Sarah LaTourette	Al Landis
Ron Maag	Jeff McClain	Robert McColley	Bill Patmon
Dorothy Pelanda	Rick Perales	Bill Reineke	Wes Retherford
Jeffrey S. Rezabek	Mark J. Romanchuk	Cliff Rosenberger	Margaret Ann Ruhl
Tim Schaffer	Gary Scherer	Kirk Schuring	Marilyn Slaby
Ryan Smith	Robert Sprague	Louis Terhar	Andy Thompson
A. Nino Vitale	Ron Young	Paul Zeltwanger
No: 40
Marlene Anielski	Nickie J. Antonio	Mike Ashford	Nan A. Baker
Kevin Boyce	Janine R. Boyd	Tim W. Brown	Nicholas J. Celebrezze
Jack Cera	Kathleen Clyde	Hearcel F. Craig	Michael F. Curtin
Denise Driehaus	Mike Duffey	Teresa Fedor	Ronald V. Gerberry
Anne Gonzales	Cheryl L. Grossman	Stephanie D. Howse	Greta Johnson
Stephanie Kunze	David Leland	Michele Lepore-Hagan	Nathan H. Manning
Sean O’Brien	Michael J. O’Brien	John Patterson	Debbie Phillips
Dan Ramos	Alicia Reece	John M. Rogers	Scott Ryan
Barbara R. Sears	Michael Sheehy	Stephen Slesnick	Kent Smith
Michael Stinziano	Fred Strahorn	Martin J. Sweeney	Emilia Strong Sykes

  As always, a complete list of Ohio legislation impacting women can be found on our Women’s Watch page. We will add information and analysis on bills as they emerge during the 2015-2016 legislative session. Follow Ohio Women’s Watch on Twitter and Facebook to receive updates and alerts on legislative action.