Ohio Attorney General Appeals Abortion Ban Ruling

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed an appeal against a ruling by Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins that declared the state’s six-week abortion ban unconstitutional in light of a constitutional amendment passed by voters last year. The amendment, known as Issue 1, enshrines reproductive rights, and the judge asserted it effectively invalidated the heartbeat law, which prohibits most abortions once fetal cardiac activity is detected. Yost's office maintains that there are provisions in the law not addressed by the amendment, and he seeks to uphold elements of the 2019 law, including certain notification and reporting requirements for physicians. Judge Jenkins noted that retaining these provisions would subject doctors to severe penalties, including felony charges and license suspensions. The case, which has already been blocked from enforcement, is expected to escalate to the Ohio Supreme Court. This legal battle highlights ongoing tensions between state laws and newly established constitutional rights regarding reproductive health.