In 2012, anti-choice groups got a heartbeat bill introduced in the Ohio legislature in an attempt to make abortion technically illegal. The bill was passed in the Ohio House but died in the Senate. This week the heartbeat bill was reintroduced by the same man who introduced it in 2012, Republican state Rep. Lynn Wachtmann of Napoleon. This time they used the celebrity Quiverfull proponents The Duggar Family as props at the press conference. Even after Ohio just enacted some of the most restrictive regulations on abortion in the country, the forced-birth people are back again for more restrictions.
Tag: heartbeat bill
Last week I posted about the publicity stunt anti-abortion group Faith2Action pulled at the state house. Surrounded by children some state senators were given Teddy Bears that made a heartbeat sound to try and convince them to pass HB 125. The ‘heartbeat’ bill would prohibit any abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detected. Now it seems senators are giving back the toys because they cost more than $25 and would have to be reported on financial-disclosure forms.
Linda Theis
co-author of Ohio’s ‘Heartbeat’ Bill
The recent Ohio House Bill 125, aka the “Heartbeat” Bill, would prohibit an abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detected. This usually happens as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. One common argument anti-abortionists use for needing such laws is to save the lives of unborn children. In a recent newspaper interview, one of the authors of the bill stated the real reason anti-abortionists want the ‘heartbeat’ bill passed. It’s all about ending legal abortion not saving lives.
Linda Theis, of Findlay, Ohio, has been involved in the anti-abortion movement since the 1970’s. In a profile and interview in the Findlay Courier she gave her reasons for joining the effort to take away a woman’s right to choose:
“Every time there is an abortion a Teddy Bear dies…”
You have to give supporters of the so-called Ohio “Heartbeat” bill credit, they sure know how to promote their bill with the subtlety of PT Barnum. Tuesday afternoon I watched another circus filmed at the Ohio State House. In a room full of children, Ohio state Senators were given toy Teddy Bears that made a heartbeat sounds when squeezed. The tacky photo-op still doesn’t hide the glaring wrongness of the newest attempt to force women not to have abortions. HB 125 is hands down the worst of the worst. Using children as props show how classy the bill supporters really are.
Ohio House Bill 125 would prohibit an abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detected. This usually happens as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Sometimes women don’t even know they are pregnant that early. The proposed law doesn’t make any exceptions for rape, incest. or the mental health of the mother.