Bill would ban abortion in Ohio if high court overturns Roe

A state lawmaker has proposed legislation that would ban abortion in Ohio if the Supreme Court overturns the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

The bill introduced this week would ban all abortions in the state except those to save a woman’s life or prevent substantial and irreversible harm.

“If and when the Supreme Court decides to return the issue of abortion back to the states, we want to be prepared for what comes next,” said sponsoring Rep. John Becker, a Republican from Clermont County in southwest Ohio.

Eight states have similar laws that would take effect after a U.S. Supreme Court decision while several other states have pre-existing bans that also would go into effect, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

Becker’s bill, backed by Ohio Right to Life, is similar to legislation introduced in November by state Rep. Candice Keller, a Middletown Republican. The earlier bill was championed by a separate coalition of local anti-abortion groups.

Meanwhile, a separate proposal banning the use of telemedicine in medication abortions cleared the floor of the Ohio Senate on a 20-9 vote Wednesday. Sen. Steve Huffman, a Tipp City Republican and emergency room doctor who sponsored the measure, said it is intended to protect women’s safety. The head of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, an abortion rights group, said most Ohioans support access to abortion, which is legal, and lawmakers supporting such restrictions are out of step.