Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

ACLU To File Lawsuit Against State Over New Abortion Ban Soon

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Ohio’s newest law that bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected is supposed to go into effect in three months. But there’s a very good chance it won’t because there’s a legal challenge looming. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports.

The ACLU of Ohio’s Legal Director, Freda Levenson, says the new ban criminalizes almost all abortions in the state. 

“This is a very clear violation of women’s constitutional rights that have been established for close to fifty years under Roe vs Wade which became the law of the land in 1973. Women have a categorical right to abortions up until fetal viability," Levenson says.

Levenson says her group will file a legal challenge and ask for an immediate order to stop the law from taking effect. She says courts have struck down similar laws in other states and she expects the same with this one. Governor Mike DeWine and other backers of this law say they expected this, and hope it will eventually be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court with the chance of overturning Roe vs. Wade.

The Statehouse News Bureau was founded in 1980 to provide educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations. To this day, the Bureau remains the only broadcast outlet dedicated to in-depth coverage of state government news and topics of statewide interest. The Bureau is funded througheTech Ohio, and is managed by ideastream. The reporters at the Bureau follow the concerns of the citizens and voters of Ohio, as well as the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. We strive to cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts with balance and fairness, and work to present diverse voices and points of view from the Statehouse and throughout Ohio. The three award-winning journalists at the bureau have more than 60 combined years of radio and television experience. They can be heard on National Public Radio and are regular contributors to Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace. Every weekday, the Statehouse News Bureau produces in-depth news reports forOhio's public radio stations. Those stories are also available on this website, either on the front page or in our archives. Weekly, the Statehouse News Bureau produces a television show from our studios in the Statehouse. The State of Ohio is an unique blend of news, interviews, talk and analysis, and is broadcast on Ohio's public television stations. The Statehouse News Bureau also produces special programming throughout the year, including the Governor's annual State of the State address to the Ohio General Assembly and a five-part year-end review.
Related Content