COLUMBUS— Flanked by the Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Senate President Larry Obhof and supporters, Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law SB 23, the so-called "heartbeat bill" Thursday afternoon.
- GOP-controlled legislature passed bill 56-40 Wednesday
- Law bans abortion after first detectable fetal heartbeat
- ACLU plans lawsuit to block law
"The government's role should be to protect life from the beginning to the end," DeWine said before picking up the first of several pens to sign the bill. "The signing of this bill today is consistent with that respect for life and the imperitive to protect those who cannot protect themselves," he said.
In a statement, Ohio Right to Life Vice President and Executive Director Stephanie Krider thanked the governor for signing the bill.
"Governor DeWine continues to prove his commitment to the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn," she said.
Several other states have passed similar legislation, which judges have ruled as unconstitutional. The bill is one of the most restrictive abortion bills in the country, in which doctors can face felony charges for performing an abortion after a detectable fetal heartbeat, and no exceptions for rape or incest.
The ACLU of Ohio promised an immediate lawsuit, saying on Twitter that the "legislation is blatantly unconstitutional and we will fight to the bitter end to ensure that this bill is permanently blocked."
The bill will become effective 90 days after filing by the Secretary of State.