bill banning Down syndrome abortions heads to Ohio governor

in one of their ultimate acts of the 12 months, Ohio lawmakers moved Wednesday to ban abortions based on a analysis of Down syndrome and sent the measure to Republican Gov. John Kasich, who is probably going to signal it.

Two states, Indiana and North Dakota, already have handed legal guidelines like the one that Ohio is advancing, touching off an emotional debate over women's rights, parental love and the relationship between medical professional and patient.

The Indiana measure, enacted in 2016, has been blocked by way of a federal choose, who dominated the state has no authority to restrict a lady's causes for ending a being pregnant. An attraction by means of state officers is pending.

The 2013 North Dakota legislations has now not been challenged. The state's sole abortion health facility, in Fargo, says the concern hasn't arisen beneath its coverage of now not performing abortions after 16 weeks right into a being pregnant.

The Ohio bill, which cleared the GOP-led Senate with some Republican opposition, would make it against the law for a physician to terminate a being pregnant in keeping with abilities of Down syndrome, a genetic abnormality that motives developmental delays and medical situations equivalent to heart defects and respiratory and hearing problems.

it could make performing an abortion in such instances a fourth-diploma felony and require the state medical board to revoke the medical professional's license if convicted. ladies worried in such techniques would not be penalized.

It became a key coverage victory for Ohio appropriate to life, the state's oldest and biggest anti-abortion group, which common it as an anti-discrimination effort.

"both the residence and the Senate despatched a loud message that we are a society constructed on compassion, love, equality," stated president Mike Gonidakis. "We expect Governor Kasich will sign this legislation, as he referred to he would in 2015. every Ohioan deserves the correct to lifestyles, no depend how many chromosomes they have."

Kasich's spokesman declined to claim what the governor would do. Kasich has noted in contemporary weeks that he notion the measure appeared "applicable," however that he would review it when he received it.

a gaggle of abortion-rights activists staged a silent protest in the Senate chamber after the invoice's approval, standing in a row donning T-shirts that spelled out "cease the Bans." planned Parenthood planned a Statehouse protest rally on Thursday.

The ACLU of Ohio said 18 separate abortion restrictions have handed under Kasich's watch and called on him to veto the newest bill. NARAL seasoned-choice Ohio put the count number at 19.

"This bill does nothing to enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities, nor increase their access to health care or other features, nor does it train a girl and her family about having a toddler with a disability," noted ACLU lobbyist Gary Daniels. "It most effective additional restricts a lady's ability to make a decision about ending a being pregnant."

Kellie Copeland, head of NARAL professional-option Ohio, also referred to as for a Kasich veto.

"This invoice prevents a woman from having honest conversations about her options together with her health care professional following a complicated clinical diagnosis," she stated. "This legislation callously disregards the unique cases that encompass each and every woman's pregnancy."

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