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Ohio Senate Passes Down Syndrome Abortion Ban Bill

photo of Sen. Frank LaRose
ANDY CHOW
/
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU

Ohio could soon become the third state in the country to ban abortion after a diagnosis of Down syndrome. A bill to do that has passed the Senate.

Republican Frank LaRose of Hudson explained why he sponsored the Senate version of the ban.

“Do we want in the state of Ohio to have people making a decision that someone is less valuable because of a chromosomal disorder that they have?”

But Republican Matt Dolan of Chagrin Falls joined the nine Democrats in voting against it, saying he’s worried whether it will hold up in court, and about encouraging silence about Down syndrome.

“I fear that we will have more abortions, which is not the impact of this bill. Constitutionally, I have questions.”

The House passed a Down syndrome abortion ban two weeks ago. So one measure will have to be chosen to be presented to Gov. John Kasich, who said two years ago he would sign such a ban.

Karen is a lifelong Ohioan who has served as news director at WCBE-FM, assignment editor/overnight anchor at WBNS-TV, and afternoon drive anchor/assignment editor in WTAM-AM in Cleveland. In addition to her daily reporting for Ohio’s public radio stations, she’s reported for NPR, the BBC, ABC Radio News and other news outlets. She hosts and produces the Statehouse News Bureau’s weekly TV show “The State of Ohio”, which airs on PBS stations statewide. She’s also a frequent guest on WOSU TV’s “Columbus on the Record”, a regular panelist on “The Sound of Ideas” on ideastream in Cleveland, appeared on the inaugural edition of “Face the State” on WBNS-TV and occasionally reports for “PBS Newshour”. She’s often called to moderate debates, including the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Issue 3/legal marijuana debate and its pre-primary mayoral debate, and the City Club of Cleveland’s US Senate debate in 2012.