John Kasich vetoes 'heartbeat bill' but approves 20-week abortion ban

Ohio Governor John Kasich has vetoed a bill which would have banned abortions when a baby's heartbeat is detected. However, he signed into law a bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Due to concerns that the "heartbeat bill" would be overturned in court, Kasich decided to veto the proposal.

"I agree with Ohio Right to Life and other leading, pro-life advocates that SB 127 (a 20-week ban) is the best, most legally sound and sustainable approach to protecting the sanctity of human life," the governor said in a statement, according to Life News.

Pro-life group Ohio Right to Life expressed their gratitude to Kasich for signing the 20-week ban and said that it supports his decision to bypass the heartbeat bill.

"While it must have been difficult, the current make-up of a radically pro-abortion Supreme Court required the Governor to exercise great restraint. Further, filling the current vacancy on the Court by our next President will still leave the court with a pro-abortion majority," the group told Life News.

Republican Senators Bill Seitz and Bill Coley were among the few lawmakers who voted against the heartbeat bill. Coley argued that millions of taxpayer money would have been spent on attorneys' fees if the bill had been passed and challenged in court.

North Dakota passed a similar measure, but it was overturned by a federal appeals court in 2014. The heartbeat bills in North Dakota and other states were considered controversial, even by pro-lifers, because they believe that it would be overturned in court, and the state would have to pay the legal costs of abortion activists.

Dayton Daily News reported that some members of the senate are discussing options if the House decides to override the veto on the heartbeat bill. Both House and Senate would require the three-fifths majority vote in order to override Kasich's veto.

"The speaker will be working with caucus members to determine possible options and the outcome will be decided after further consideration," said Brad Miller, spokesman for House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger.

The 20-week ban would take effect 90 days after the governor signed it. The implementation, however, could be delayed if it is disputed in court.

According to the Ohio Department of Health's annual abortion report, around 145 of the 20,976 abortions in 2015 were performed after 20 weeks gestation.