Judge temporarily blocks Ohio law banning most abortions

By JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A judge has temporarily blocked Ohio’s ban on virtually all abortions in the state. The state’s abortion ban has been in effect since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June. Hamilton County Judge Christian Jenkins paused the law Wednesday for 14 days. That means abortions through 20 weeks’ gestation may resume for now, as was the case before the ban. Abortion providers represented by the ACLU of Ohio are seeking to permanently block the law. They contend it violates protections in the Ohio Constitution. The law prohibits most abortions once a “fetal heartbeat” is detected, as early as six weeks into pregnancy.