3 abortion-related bills move to GOP-led Senate

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

The Ohio House has approved three abortion-related bills, including a measure that would impose the strictest abortion restriction in the nation.

The Republican-led House on Tuesday voted 54-44 on the measure to ban abortions after the first detectable fetal heartbeat, which can occur as early as six weeks into pregnancy.

The House also approved 65-33 a measure to prohibit abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy if a doctor determines the fetus could survive outside the womb. It voted 62-36 to approve a bill that would prevent certain health insurers from covering abortions.

The bills now move to the GOP-controlled Senate, where the fate of the heartbeat bill is uncertain.