There’s been a strong push by opponents of abortion for the Ohio Senate to pass the "heartbeat" abortion bill, which would outlaw abortion in Ohio at the point in which a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Senate President Tom Niehaus is telling members of the Senate that the controversial abortion bill won’t be taken up during the lame duck session.
NIEHAUS: "I personally had some of the same constitutional concerns that I had a year and a half ago. And that’s as far as I want to go right now."
The heartbeat bill isn’t the only controversial one Niehaus is ruling off limits in the Senate for now. He also doesn’t want to take up the bill that could cut funding for family planning services through Planned Parenthood. His refusal to take up these two bills in the next couple of weeks means they are dead for now. Kellie Copeland with NARAL Ohio is glad the senate isn’t taking up the bills but fears the new legislature will. Abortion opponents did not return multiple phone calls.
