Ohio lawmakers send Kasich pair of new abortion restrictions

[Swordsmyth]

The Republican-led Legislature sent Ohio Gov. John Kasich a pair of new abortion restrictions on Friday, including legislation banning terminations at the first detectable fetal heartbeat that he's vowed to veto.Following marathon lame-duck votes that lasted into the wee hours, Ohio lawmakers left open the possibility of returning to override any vetoes. However, the so-called heartbeat bill didn't get the 60 House votes Friday that would be needed.
It was the second time in two years that lawmakers have sent the heartbeat bill to Kasich's desk. He vetoed a similar measure in December 2016.
The final legislation specifies a transvaginal ultrasound isn't required. That would mean detection of the heartbeat would be possible at around 10 weeks, rather than six weeks.
The other bill, approved during a Thursday session that continued overnight, bans dilation and evacuation abortions, one of the most common methods for the procedure.
After the approval of the heartbeat bill, Faith2Action President Janet Porter, who authored the legislation, urged supporters to "Pray!" and to respectfully hound Kasich in hopes he'll change his mind.

Once he receives the bill, Kasich has 10 days, excluding Sundays, to act. The House has scheduled a session day for Dec. 27 when an override vote could take place.

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/pair-abortion-restrictions-ohio-head-kasichs-desk-153602793.html

[Swordsmyth]

Demonstrating once again his penchant for moral cowardice, Ohio Gov. John Kasich vetoed a bill on Friday that would have banned abortions on unborn babies with detectable heartbeats.
According to LifeNews (https://www.lifenews.com/2018/12/21/ohio-gov-john-kasich-vetoes-bill-to-ban-abortions-after-unborn-babys-heartbeat-begins/), Gov. Kasich vetoed the bill arguing that it would not survive in a court challenge. He did the same in 2016 for similar reasons. The difference between then and now, however, is the addition of Justice Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court – the bill could theoretically survive if it went that far. Kasich also argued that the legal challenges would cost taxpayers too much money.

"As governor I have worked hard to strengthen Ohio’s protections for the sanctity of human life, and I have a deep respect for my fellow members of the pro-life community and their ongoing efforts in defense of unborn life," he said in a statement (https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2018/12/21/john-kasich-vetoes-ohio-heartbeat-bill). "However, the central provision of Sub. H.B. 258, that an abortion cannot be performed if a heartbeat has been detected in the unborn child, is contrary to the Supreme Court of the United States’ current rulings on abortion."
"As the losing party, the state of Ohio will be forced to pay hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to cover the legal fees for the pro-choice activists’ lawyers," Kasich added.
State House Bill 258 passed in a 58-35 vote and sailed through the State Senate. Most abortions in Ohio would be effectively banned had Kasich signed it into law.
"The controversial legislation would ban most abortions in Ohio if it becomes law," reported LifeNews (https://www.lifenews.com/2018/11/15/ohio-house-passes-bill-to-ban-all-abortions-after-an-unborn-babys-heartbeat-begins/). in November. "An unborn baby’s heart begins beating around six weeks, though new research suggests it may begin as early as 18 days after conception (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3833015/A-baby-s-heart-beats-just-16-days-conception-Heartbeat-breakthrough-lead-new-cures-congenital-disease.html)."
Abortion providers could also be charged with a felony for breaking the law by killing a baby with a detected heartbeat.

Proponents of the new law said the potential legal challenges should not matter.
"The point is: it’s time. It doesn’t matter if the governor is with us or against us," said state Rep. Christina Hagan, a sponsor of the bill. "Motherhood isn’t easy but it’s necessary."
Other pro-life (largely female) lawmakers pushed similar arguments.
"(Abortion) is not a constitutional right," said Rep. Candice Keller (R-Middletown). "If you don’t know that, you need to read the Constitution."
"Today, let us stand up for the most innocent among us: the unborn," Rep. Kristina Roegner said.
To Kasich's credit, he did sign a second pro-life bill on Friday (https://www.lifenews.com/2018/12/21/ohio-bans-dismemberment-abortions-tearing-babies-limb-from-limb/) that bans dismemberment abortions, which is commonly committed against fully formed second-trimester babies.

More at: https://www.dailywire.com/news/39612/spineless-rino-ohio-gov-kasich-vetoes-fetal-paul-bois

[Swordsmyth]

The Republican-led Ohio House has overridden GOP Gov. John Kasich’s veto of legislation imposing one of the most far-reaching abortion restrictions in the nation.The House also overrode Kasich’s veto of a bill broadening gun-owner rights.
And a disputed bill that increases death benefits and insurance coverage for slain public safety officers' families while also providing pay raises to Ohio elected officials has become law over the governor’s objections.
The House eked out its 60-28 override of the abortion bill Thursday over strong objections by Democrats, who argued Ohio is leading a charge against women and the bill is unconstitutional.
The vote sent the so-called “heartbeat” bill to the waiting Senate.


House members voted 67-22 Thursday to reject Kasich’s decision to strike down the gun legislation. It would expand gun access for off-duty police officers and at subsidized housing complexes and allow pre-emption of local gun restrictions, among other things.
The measure headed immediately to the Senate, which had hoped to appease Kasich by previously stripping the measure's so-called stand-your-ground language.
But he vetoed the legislation anyway, citing a provision that shifts the burden of proof in self-defense cases from defendants to prosecutors. Kasich also scolded lawmakers for refusing to even debate a "red flag" law allowing gun rights to be temporarily stripped from people who show warning signs of violence.
The House overrode Kasich’s veto of the pay raise legislation 70-16 on Thursday. Its action followed a successful veto override in the Senate earlier in the day.

More at: https://www.cleveland.com/open/2018/12/ohio-house-overrides-heartbeat-bill-veto-senate-considering-it.html

[Swordsmyth]

Outgoing “Republican” Ohio governor John Kasich stands accused of flipping a state senator who cast the decisive vote to uphold Kasich’s veto of the “Heartbeat” bill banning the aborting of unborn children with heartbeats in the state of Ohio.
The Republican-controlled Ohio House rebuked Kasich by overriding the governor’s veto Thursday. But in the state senate, Kasich’s veto held on by one vote, much to the delight of Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocates. The vote was 19-13, one vote shy of the 20-12 split that conservatives were aiming for. However, pro-life activists are still optimistic that they can get rid of Kasich’s veto in the new session, with Kasich out of office.
Republican Bill Beagle previously voted to support the heartbeat bill. But he ended up casting the deciding vote to dash the hopes of the pro-life community. Beagle is leaving the state senate due to term limits and sliding into a comfortable position as Miami county commissioner, an office that he won by running unopposed.
A tea party activist told Big League Politics that Beagle told state representative Candice Keller that Kasich’s help for Beagle led to Beagle’s traitorous decision. BLP has reached out to Keller for comment.

More at: https://bigleaguepolitics.com/kasich-accused-of-flipping-key-senator-to-murder-the-heartbeat-anti-abortion-bill/