Gov. Kasich Vetoes Ohio ‘Heartbeat Bill’ by Mark Harrington

Ohio Gov. John Kasich today vetoed the Heartbeat Bill forbidding abortions when a fetal heartbeat can be detected while signing into law asecond bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

The second-term Republican previously had expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the Heartbeat Bill, which would have been the most restrictive abortion law in the nation.

In 2011, the original Heartbeat Bill (HB 125) came literally one heartbeat away from becoming Ohio law.  Now, after over five years, the bill, (Am. Sub. HB 493) which made it to the Governor’s desk, has been vetoed by Governor John Kasich.

In a statement, Kasich wrote, “I agree with Ohio Right to Life and other leading, pro-life advocates that SB 127 (a 20-week ban) is the best, most legally sound and sustainable approach to protecting the sanctity of human life,” Kasich said in a statement

Mark Harrington, National Director of Created Equal wrote, “History will not look kindly on Gov. Kasich for killing the best chance at protecting children that we have seen in a lifetime! This bill, which would protect babies with beating hearts, went down to defeat because Governor Kasich, who campaigned as a pro-life advocate, killed the bill. Those who bend the knee to the worst ruling in history (Roe v. Wade) are no better than the ones who wrote it.”

Ohio’s pro-life community will not rest until this bill is passed into law. We will never give up on protecting children.