[JURIST] The Ohio House of Representatives [official website] on Wednesday approved a bill that would make illegal any abortion performed once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. The bill, HB 69 [text], passed the House with a 55-40 vote, but is opposed by Governor John Kasich [official website] on constitutional grounds. Any doctor found to have performed an abortion after a heartbeat could be detected, as early as six weeks in some cases, could be fined up to $2,500. A similar bill [text] passed [JURIST report] the House in 2011, but died in the Senate. The Ohio House is also considering a 20-week abortion ban, seen as a possible contingency measure if the fetal heartbeat bill abortion ban does not become law.

Reproductive rights [JURIST backgrounder] continue to be a contentious issue in the US. Last week a federal judge ruled [JURIST report] that a Wisconsin law requiring doctors performing abortions to have privileges to admit patients to a nearby hospital is unconstitutional. Earlier this month the American Civil Liberties Union challenged [JURIST report] an Alabama law that allows fetuses legal representation in cases where minors seek abortions. Also this month the West Virginia legislature overrode [JURIST report] the governor’s veto to pass a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks. Over the last few years, similar fetal heartbeat abortion bans have been attempted in Arkansas, Alabama and North Dakota [JURIST reports]. In 2014 a federal judge permanently blocked [JURIST report] North Dakota’s fetal heartbeat abortion ban. Additionally, eight US states ban or restrict abortions after 20 weeks.