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Heartbeat Bill Highlights Split

The so-called "Heartbeat Bill", which has more than 50 sponsors in the House, has been in committee for several weeks. Sponsoring Rep. Lynn Wachtmann of northwest Ohio also chairs the committee hearing the bill, and he says it's moving slowly because he's running thorough hearings.
"There's some nervousness among the crowd, when you have Ohio Right to Life out working against your legislation. It's very unfortunate. They're wrong and we're right."

But Ohio Right to Life's executive director Mike Gonadakis says there's a simple reason his board of trustees isn't supporting the bill.
"House Bill 125 has major legal flaws. It's going to lead to increased, not decreased abortions in the state of Ohio."

Ohio Right to Life is backing a measure that would ban abortions after viability, and it's moved out of committee. But pro-choice activists continue to oppose both these bills.

Rick Jackson is a senior host and producer at Ideastream Public Media. He hosts the "Sound of Ideas" on WKSU and "NewsDepth" on WVIZ.