Ohio Gov. John Kasich has signed one controversial abortion ban and vetoed another one.
Kasich used his line-item veto power and struck the so-called “Heartbeat Bill," which would ban abortion at the point a fetal heartbeat could be detected. But he left the child abuse bill the ban was attached to intact.
If the heartbeat bill had become law, it would have been the strictest abortion ban in the country -- banning abortion in as little as six weeks, before many women know they're pregnant. Many critics said it was unconstitutional.
But Kasich signed another ban that would outlaw abortions at 20 weeks of pregnancy.
In a written statement, Kasich said he agreed with Ohio Right to Life that the 20-week ban was the best, most legally sound and sustainable approach to protecting the sanctity of human life. The heartbeat bill could go back to Ohio lawmakers since they have not formally adjourned for the session, but there’s no word yet on whether they will come back to try to override his veto.
