Ohio group challenges anti-abortion amendment

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

An Ohio group is asking the state’s high court to block supporters of an anti-abortion amendment from gathering signatures as they seek to declare in the state constitution that life begins when a human egg is fertilized.

The proposed amendment from Personhood Ohio would expand the definition of a person to include every human being at every stage of biological development, including fertilization.

An opponent group called Healthy Families Ohio filed a complaint Friday with the Ohio Supreme Court, arguing the proposed amendment should be split into two ballot issues — not one.

The opponents also claim the amendment’s summary is not a “fair and truthful” description of the measure.

Roughly 385,000 signatures from Ohio voters would be needed by July for the initiative to appear on November ballots.