COLUMBUS — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the “Heartbeat” bill into state law on Thursday afternoon.
The Republican said government should protect life from beginning to end.
“The signing of this bill today is consistent with that respect for life and the imperative to protect those who cannot protect themselves,” DeWine said before signing the bill into law.
The law bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. It would allow for the criminal prosecution of physicians who perform them, anyway.
The American Civil Liberties Union has said it will file a lawsuit claiming the new law is unconstitutional. Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich twice vetoed such legislation, saying it would lead to litigation costly to taxpayers.
Similar laws have been challenged in other states. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue.
The bill was co-sponsored by Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina), whose district includes Richland and Ashland counties.
“This will be one of the most protective laws in the nation,” Obhof said Wednesday after the bill passed on the Senate. “Ohio stands in contrast to states like New York and Virginia, which are headed in the wrong direction.”
The bill will become effective 90 days after filing by the Secretary of State, likely in mid July.
Attorney General Dave Yost, whose office will defend the new law in court, said in a statement that the “evolution of the law requires bold steps.”
“In the last 46 years, the practice of medicine has changed. Science has changed. Even the point of viability has changed. Only the law has lagged behind. This law provides a stable, objective standard to guide the courts,” Yost said in the statement.
