Tag: heartbeat bill

Iowans See ‘Humanity of Unborn Children with Beating Hearts’ as Legislature Passes Heartbeat Bill

Susan Berry, PhD

Iowa lawmakers passed the Heartbeat Protection Act in a special session Tuesday night, leading one pro-life representative to say, “Iowans recognize the humanity of unborn children with beating hearts and won’t rest until they are protected.”

“Today, the Iowa legislature once again voted to protect life and end abortion at a heartbeat, with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother,” Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) announced Tuesday following the legislature’s approval of the measure.

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GOP Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Stands with Iowa Conservative Lawmakers Poised to Pass ‘Heartbeat Bill’

M.D. Kittle

GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy took his campaign to the steps of the Iowa State Capitol Tuesday, throwing his support behind a swiftly moving “heartbeat bill” that would limit most abortions in the Hawkeye State after six weeks of pregnancy. 

The Ohio biotech entrepreneur met with Republican state legislators and Governor Kim Reynolds, as a special legislative session to take up the bill got underway amid loud opposition from hundreds of pro-abortion activists.

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Florida Heartbeat Bill Approved by House Subcommittee and Advances

Susan Berry, PhD

A Florida House subcommittee approved a bill Thursday that would prohibit abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, a move that advances the legislation to the state House Health and Human Services Committee for a hearing.

The House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee voted 13-5 in support of HB7, a measure that would protect most unborn babies from abortion at generally six weeks after a heartbeat is detected.

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Hold on Ohio Abortion Restriction to Last at Least Two More Weeks

Bradley Vasoli

Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins (D) this week indicated he will extend his hold on a significant Ohio abortion-restricting law for two additional weeks. 

Jenkins’s decision prolongs the effect of a decision he made last week to obstruct the Heartbeat Act’s implementation, with the initial freeze to last two weeks. The state General Assembly passed and Governor Mike DeWine (R) signed the bill (SB 23) in 2019. The legislation, which prohibits aborting unborn children who have detectable heartbeats, could not take effect until this year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. 

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Federal Court Lifts Injunction Against Tennessee Heartbeat Bill, Legislation Allowed to Take Effect

Cooper Moran
Close up of baby feet lying in bed

A federal court lifted an injunction against Tennessee’s “heartbeat bill” that will implement a six-week abortion ban throughout the state.

The ruling follows a request from Attorney General Herbert Slatery to lift the measure, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade. The landmark decision previously established a constitutional right to abortion.

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Ohio Prosecutors in Columbus and Cuyahoga County Will Not Prosecute Illegal Abortions

Bradley Vasoli

Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley announced this week they will not prosecute abortionists who violate Ohio’s “heartbeat law.”

Signed three years ago by Gov. Mike DeWine (R), the act disallows abortions to be performed once a fetal heartbeat is detectable, which becomes the case about six weeks into a pregnancy. With last week’s overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, the heartbeat law is now in effect.

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Abortions Are Down in Florida

Grant Holcomb

Recent data from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) shows abortions numbers are down in Florida from year-to-year. Records indicate there have been just over 16,500 abortions so far in 2022, and if the trend continues, would be a 38 percent decrease from 2021.

During 2021, there were 79,811 abortions, which was a 6.6 percent increase from 2020. The data also showed that the overwhelming majority of abortions performed were elective which backs up other data points from across the country.

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Tennessee House Health Subcommittee Punts Bill Banning Abortion to 2022

Corinne Murdock

After deferring action last week on a bill banning abortion completely, the Tennessee House Health Subcommittee decided to push their decision off until 2022. The “Rule of Law Life Act” was sponsored by State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma) initially, and taken up in the House by State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster).

As The Tennessee Star reported in early February, the bill saw movement quickly following its introduction. It declared that the Fourteenth Amendment extends the right to life to the unborn, and that life begins at conception.

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Pro-Life ‘Rule of Law Life Act’ Banning Abortion Moves Through Tennessee General Assembly

Corinne Murdock

A new pro-life bill claims that constitutionally-protected life begins at conception, banning all abortions except in life-threatening emergencies. Dubbed the “Rule of Law Life Act,” the bill stated that the Fourteenth Amendment extends the right to life to the unborn, the legal precedents in existence allowing abortion derogate the Constitution,

The bill expands upon the previous heartbeat bill, signed into law last year and is currently being debated in the courts. It asserts that established and accepted science supports the notion of human life beginning at conception. Additionally, the bill explicitly prohibits punishing mothers for abortions committed. Only physicians who violate the proposed laws would be subject to punishments awarded for Class C felonies or Class A misdemeanors, as well as the suspension or revocation of their healthcare license.

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Liberals Praise Trump-Appointed Judge for Blocking Tennessee’s Heartbeat Bill

Anthony Gockowski

Pro-abortion advocates praised a Trump-appointed judge for blocking Tennessee’s Heartbeat Bill from becoming law.

U.S. District Judge William “Chip” Campbell in Nashville blocked the pro-life measure just hours after Gov. Bill Lee signed it into law Monday. Campbell’s mother, Beth Campbell, serves as a Republican National Committee member for Tennessee, the Tennessee Republican Party confirmed.

“An activist judge barely waited until the ink was dry to promote his own pro-choice view. We cannot allow the lives of unborn children to be jeopardized by radical judges. As your Senator, I will only vote to confirm justices who stick to the Constitution,” said Manny Sethi, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.

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Federal Court Immediately Blocks Tennessee’s Heartbeat Bill Hours After Governor Bill Lee Signed into Law

The Associated Press

Hours after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday signed the Heartbeat Bill into law, a federal judge quickly blocked the measure.

U.S. District Judge William Campbell in Nashville opted to wait for the bill to become law to rule on whether to block it. In granting the temporary restraining order Monday, he wrote that he’s “bound by the Supreme Court holdings prohibiting undue burdens on the availability of pre-viability abortions.”

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Leahy and Roberts Discuss Governor Bill Lee’s Pattern of Non-Consultation with Legislative Branch

Julie Carr

  On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Tennessee State Senator Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield) in the studio to discuss this week’s Tennessee General Assembly agenda. Towards the end of the second hour, Leahy and Roberts discussed Governor Lee’s recent executive order on state employee family leave which some statesmen raised eyebrows citing that it was not possible to do without going through legislation. Further on into the discussion Leahy brought up how this seemed to be a pattern with the governor noting that the specifics of the Heartbeat Bill are still up in the air. Leahy: In the studio with our good friend all-star panelist and state Senator Kerry Roberts. It’s time now for the inside scoop about what’s really going on in the Tennessee General Assembly. What were the big issues? The big news going on up there on Capitol Hill? Roberts: It’s been a pretty quiet week with President’s Day on Monday. So, we tried to compress it into a couple of days. But the biggest thing that happened wasn’t legislative. So the governor in his State of…

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Governor Lee Files Heartbeat ‘Caption’ Bill as Language Remains Unknown

Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee State Senator Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield) in the studio to talk about “caption bills” and Governor Bill Lee’s recent press conference about the new Heartbeat Bill.

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Senate Judiciary Committee Members Comment on the Heartbeat Bill Summer Study

Laura Baigert

  With the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Summer Study on the Heartbeat Bill just three weeks out, every committee member was contacted by The Tennessee Star, confirming their attendance and offering an opportunity for them to comment on their expectations of the two-day meeting. The Judiciary Committee, a standing committee of the State Senate, is comprised of nine members, seven Republicans and two Democrats: Chairman Mike Bell (R-Riceville), 1st Vice-Chair Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), 2nd Vice-Chair Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) and members Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga), Sara Kyle (D-Memphis), Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield), Katrina Robinson (D-Memphis) and John Stevens (R-Huntingdon). The Judiciary Committee is responsible for all legal, law enforcement, judicial and court-related matters, as well as all other matters not covered by any other standing committee, according to the Tennessee General Assembly website. The Heartbeat Bill Summer Study is being undertaken by the Senate Judiciary Committee as an outcome of the only Senate hearing on the bill during the first half of the 111th General Assembly, which was held on April 9. After a reading a prepared statement, as reported by The Star, Chairman Bell made the motion, a move he said was rare for him as Chairman, to send the…

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COUNTDOWN: Three Weeks Until the Heartbeat Bill Summer Study

Laura Baigert

  In three weeks, the State Senate Judiciary Committee will undertake the much anticipated two-day Summer Study on the legislation known as the Heartbeat Bill. The Heartbeat Bill seeks to protect the life of unborn children from the point that their heartbeat is detected, usually at about six weeks after conception. The legislation was sponsored by Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough) and Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) during the first half of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly as HB 0077 and SB 1236, respectively. The House version essentially sailed through the committee process, which passed its first stop at the Public Health Subcommittee on February 20, and was voted on by the entire chamber on March 7. With 65 Ayes, 21 Noes and 7 Present and Not Voting, it was only Democrats who opposed the measure, although two voted in favor of it. Meanwhile, all 7 Present and Not Voting were Republicans. The bill experienced a completely different fate in the State Senate, where it sat on notice for two months before being placed on the Senate Judiciary Committee calendar. As reported by The Tennessee Star, testimony and a question-and-answer period from expert witnesses lasted about one and a half hours,…

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Judge Temporarily Blocks Ohio Heartbeat Bill

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by Margaret Mary Olohan   A judge temporarily blocked an Ohio bill that bans abortions after a baby’s heartbeat can be detected. Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday temporarily preventing the heartbeat bill from going into effect, according to Cleveland.com. The heartbeat bill, S.B. 23, was originally signed by Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on April 11 and banned abortions after detection of a baby’s heartbeat. Physicians could face fines of up to $20,000 in fines if they violate the law. Barrett said in the ruling that the heartbeat bill placed an undue burden on women and their right to abortion. “This Court concludes that S.B. 23 places an ‘undue burden’ on a woman’s right to choose a pre-viability abortion, and, under Casey, Plaintiffs are certain to succeed on the merits of their claim,” Barrett wrote, according to Cleveland.com, referencing the 1992 U.S. Supreme Court case Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The ruling temporarily halts the bill pending further court rulings. “All Defendants, their officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys, and those persons in active concert or participation with them who receive actual notice of this Order, are preliminarily enjoined from enforcing or complying with S.B.…

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Andy Schlafly: It’s Terrible to See Such a Misuse of the ‘Right To Life’ Name

Laura Baigert

  “It’s terrible to see such a misuse of the Right To Life name,” says conservative activist Andy Schlafly, attorney and son of Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly, in regards to organizations that, instead of being strongly pro-life, interfere with strong pro-life legislation. Andy Schlafly is the fifth child of John Fred and Phyllis Schlafly, who was politically active for decades before she took on the fight against the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972, which was narrowly defeated after five states rescinded their ratification. Mrs. Schlafly is widely recognized as a key player in the defeat of the ERA. The younger Schlafly graduated from Harvard Law School after receiving an engineering degree from Princeton University. As the organization’s General Counsel, Schlafly represented the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Inc. – “a voice for private physicians since 1943” – in a 2010 lawsuit against ObamaCare. Schlafly also founded Conservapedia, an alternative to the left-leaning online encyclopedia Wikipedia and is a political columnist and commentator. In a telephone interview, Schlafly told The Tennessee Star that it is “unfortunate and surprising to some people that organizations with the [Right To Life] name and appear that they will be strongly pro-life, but are there…

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Planned Parenthood Attacks Longtime Memphis Democratic Rep. DeBerry for Voting for Fetal Heartbeat Bill

Jason M. Reynolds

  Planned Parenthood doesn’t like that longtime State Rep. John DeBerry (D-TN-90) voted to support the heartbeat bill in the recent legislative session. Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood took advertising out for three billboards in Memphis to attack DeBerry on his vote, WBBJ said. The Memphis Democrat ran unopposed in 2018. His seat is up for reelection in 2020. According to WMC,  Francie Hunt, Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood executive director, said, “Today, we are kicking off a billboard campaign to help inform more people about his stance.” Norma Lester, Democratic Women of Shelby County president, told WMC, “There should never be a situation where Representative DeBerry has been allowed to be comfortable with what he has done.” DeBerry, the Democratic Leader Pro-Tempore, served as the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators Chaplain in the 111th General Assembly, according to his legislative biography. He has served in the Legislature from the 99th through the 111th General Assemblies. Although the heartbeat bill passed in the House, it stalled in the Senate and was sent to summer study. The Senate version of the Heartbeat Bill, SB1236 sponsored by Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) was sent to “summer study” by the Judiciary Committee on…

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Commentary: Disney and Netflix Go All-In for Corporate Fascism Over Georgia’s Pro-Life Laws

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by George Rasley   A few weeks ago, we explained the new phenomenon of corporate totalitarianism where corporations campaign against their customers and betray their shareholders in pursuit of Left-wing political goals. Now, with their announcements that they are boycotting Georgia and Alabama over their adoption of pro-life legislation, it appears that media giants Disney and Netflix have become the latest members of the league of corporate totalitarians. According to CNN Business, Netflix and Disney have said they will join WarnerMedia in a boycott of Georgia if the state’s new abortion law takes effect. The state became a hub for entertainment industry production, in part because of generous tax breaks Georgia offers filmmakers and producers. But the companies are prepared to betray their fiduciary obligations to shareholders and give up those tax incentives and leave the state in pursuit of the Left’s morally bankrupt abortion agenda. Reporting for CNN Business, Brian Stelter and Shannon Liao claim prominent celebrities and some production companies have vowed to boycott Georgia as a result of the state’s pro-life legislation. But, say Stelter and Liao, the deep pockets of Netflix and Disney “mean the companies have louder voices.” Citing the concerns of the predominantly liberal-leaning stars and producers…

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Heartbeat Bill Victory Party for Ohio

Beth Lear

  NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio – Janet Folger Porter hosted a raucous victory party for the Heartbeat Bill on Friday, May 31st.  After more than eight long years, obstructionism by some ‘Republicans’ and many heartbreakingly close calls, the Heartbeat Bill, Senate Bill 23, became law on April 11, 2019. Janet Porter began pushing for the law, which prohibits abortions once a baby’s heartbeat can be detected, in Ohio in 2010. The first bill was introduced in 2011.  Since then, 9 states have adopted some version of the bill: Arkansas (2013), North Dakota (2013), Iowa (2018), Mississippi (2019), Kentucky (2019), Ohio (2019), Georgia (2019), Missouri (2019) and Louisiana (2019). Through her organization, Faith2Action, Janet motivated a nation to respect life once again.  A tireless juggernaut for the unborn, the adjectives describing Porter never stopped.  Relentless, courageous, fearless were just a few of them. But she made it clear this night was not about her.  Friday’s victory party was all about the heroes behind the Heartbeat Bill, and there were dozens. Awards were handed out to interns, key players behind the scenes, an intern’s mother (who dropped everything to drive a State Representative to the House because just one more vote was needed),…

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Fetal Heartbeat Bill Summer Study Schedule Set

Laura Baigert

  The schedule for the Senate Judiciary Committee summer study of the Heartbeat Bill was announced Thursday via email to committee members and staff. The scheduled dates just announced – Monday and Tuesday, August 12 and 13 – are changed from the original dates set during the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on April 9 when the bill was sent to summer study. Originally, the dates set by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Mike Bell (R-Riceville) for the summer study were Tuesday and Wednesday, August 13 and 14. However, those dates created a conflict with the 46th American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) 2019 Annual Meeting scheduled for August 14 through 16 in Austin, Texas, which is attended by many members of the Tennessee General Assembly. The email, sent by the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Research Analyst stated that the summer study meeting on SB 1236 has been scheduled for 1:00 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, August 12, and from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon on Tuesday, August 13, although it may go into the afternoon if more time is needed.  A specific location, while assumed to be within the Cordell Hull Building, was not identified. The Fetal Heartbeat Bill, which prohibits abortions…

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West Fayette Republican Club Calls for Renewed Support for Heartbeat Bill and Seeks to Call Out Senators Who Did Not Announce Support

Jason M. Reynolds

  The West Fayette Republican Club has cried foul against the “deceptive” defeat of the Heartbeat Bill in the Tennessee Senate and called for a number of steps to correct that error. The group unanimously passed a resolution regarding the Heartbeat Bill on Thursday, Hal Rounds, the president, said in a statement. The club has called upon Republican senators to “return to the aggressive support of the Heartbeat Bill” and extend the legislative session or call a special session, and that stage agencies should record the number of abortions during the time the bill has not been approved. Furthermore, the West Fayette Republican Party asks that volunteers portray the number of such abortions with crosses posted on the Legislative Plaza along with a list of senators who did not have their names listed as voting in favor of bringing the Heartbeat Bill to a full Senate vote. On April 22, a majority of the State Senate voted to table the motion to reconsider the Heartbeat Bill through a recall, putting an end to any further action on the measure during the legislative session, The Tennessee Star reported. The Senate version of the Heartbeat Bill was sent to “summer study” by…

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Ohio Cities Partake in Pro-Abortion ‘Stop the Bans’ Protests

Anthony Gockowski

  Pro-abortion activists across the country organized “Stop the Bans” rallies on Tuesday, several of which occurred in Ohio. In Columbus, protesters lined the streets outside of Gov. Mike DeWine’s office, chanting: “Keep abortions safe and legal!” Several protesting outside the governor’s office for the ‘Stop the Ban’ protest pic.twitter.com/kda5faqQpl — Alexis Moberger (@alexis_moberger) May 21, 2019 The crowd later made its way to the Ohio Statehouse, where not too long ago a controversial “heartbeat bill” threw Ohio into the national conversation surrounding abortion. Crowd continues to grow! Protest has now moved to the statehouse. Dozens here to protest against Ohio’s heartbeat bill. Similar abortion protests happening in several cities across the country pic.twitter.com/pQPBw8RbS3 — Alexis Moberger (@alexis_moberger) May 21, 2019 “It’s really important that women have the freedom to choose what to do with their own bodies,” one protester told ABC 6. “I hope that Governor DeWine is paying attention to this because women are his constituents too and he can’t ignore us.” In Dayton, protesters gathered outside of a Premier Health clinic, which has apparently refused to sign a transfer agreement with a nearby abortion clinic. “We are here today because so far Premier Health has refused to…

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Governor Mike DeWine Says He Intends to Take Abortion Bill Lawsuit to Supreme Court

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by Tyler Arnold   The Ohio ACLU filed a lawsuit challenging recently signed legislation that would prohibit abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said he intends to take this fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge the abortion law precedent set by Roe V. Wade. “This is an expected development,” Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for DeWine, told The Center Square in an email. “Gov. DeWine has long said that this issue will ultimately be decided by the United States Supreme Court.” The national ACLU and abortion provider Planned Parenthood filed the joint lawsuit with the Ohio ACLU. The lawsuit claims that the legislation violates the precedent in Roe V. Wade, which ruled that abortion is a Constitutionally protected right required to protect a woman’s right to privacy. “This assault on reproductive rights has been anticipated, and we’ve been preparing and perfecting our case,” Freda Levenson, the legal director for the Ohio ACLU, said in a news release. “‘Total ban’ is not inflammatory rhetoric — this is a ban on almost all abortions, and if the court does not block it, it will imperil the freedoms and health of Ohio women,”…

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ACLU Sues State of Ohio Over Heartbeat Bill

Jason M. Reynolds

  The American Civil Liberties Union has sued the State of Ohio over the recently signed “Heartbeat Bill” (SB 23), which is set to take effect on July 10. [pdf-embedder url=”http://battlegroundstatenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/OhioHeartbeatBillComplaint.pdf”]   The lawsuit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief was filed in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio Western Division. The lawsuit, filed in support of a handful of abortion clinics in the state, says abortion is a constitutional right under the Roe v. Wade ruling. According to the lawsuit: The Ban has only two very limited exceptions. The Ban permits abortion after cardiac activity is detected only if the abortion is necessary (1) to prevent the patient’s death, or (2) to prevent a “serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.” Citizens for Community Values (CCV) issued a statement in support of the Heartbeat Bill. This life-saving law will prohibit abortion once a heartbeat is detected in an unborn child. Preterm-Cleveland, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio and the Capital Care Network of Toledo will all be plaintiffs in the suit filed in the US District Court, Southern District of Ohio. “Ohio’s abortion industry is seeking nothing more…

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Illegal Immigrant Raped, Impregnated 11-Year-Old Ohio Girl Before Hiding Her in Closet

Anthony Gockowski

  Illegal immigrant Juan Leon-Gomez is being held on a $1 million bond in Stark County Jail on charges of raping and impregnating an 11-year-old Ohio girl. News quickly spread of the tragic story after Leon-Gomez’s May 1 arrest, but his immigration status went unreported until Friday, when police confirmed with Cleveland 19 News that he is in the country illegally. Leon-Gomez, 26, was arrested at his residency in Massillon after the 11-year-old’s mother reported her missing. When police arrived at the scene, Leon-Gomez turned off the lights and hid the girl in an upstairs bedroom closet, according to the police report. According to The Canton Repository, he now faces charges of felony rape and obstructing official business. He could face life in prison with the possibility of parole after 10 years. When asked during his May 3 court appearance if he speaks English, Leon-Gomez responded “no,” saying he speaks Spanish and is from Guatemala. The judge also placed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold on Leon-Gomez, meaning he’d be handed over to ICE if he were to post bail. Several news outlets used the story to criticize Ohio’s recently-passed “heartbeat bill,” which bans abortions in the state after…

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Tennessee Star/Triton Poll: Is Nashville More Pro-Life Than Politicians Think?

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  While Nashville/Davidson County is a blue island amidst a sea of red counties in Middle Tennessee, having been one of only three counties in the state to vote for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016, some voters may not be as lockstep liberal as many think — at least when it comes to the issue of late-term abortion. A new Tennessee Star/Triton poll reveals that a majority of likely Nashville voters are actually LESS likely to vote for a candidate who supports late term abortion and would deny help to keep a child alive after birth. 550 likely Davidson County voters were asked: Would you be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who supports late term abortions in the few weeks before birth and permitting doctors to deny help to keep a child alive in the hours after birth? 23.3% said that they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports abortion at any time; 54.9% were less likely; and 11.1% said it would make no difference to them. Another 10.6% were undecided. These poll numbers reflect national numbers on the issue of late term abortions. A Rasmussen Reports national survey in…

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Cleveland Heights City Council Calls Heartbeat Bill ‘Intrusion’ on ‘Liberty’ in Letter to DeWine

Anthony Gockowski

  Cleveland Heights Mayor Carol Roe and members of the city council have issued a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine to warn that “all options” are on the table in response to the controversial heartbeat bill. The letter begins by expressing “concern and disappointment” with DeWine for signing the heartbeat bill, which bans abortions in the state after a fetal heartbeat is detectable in unborn children. “This law, known as the ‘heartbeat bill,’ amounts to a virtual ban on abortion. As you know, this bill would go into effect prior to when most women realize they are pregnant,” the letter states. The letter was signed by Roe, Vice Mayor Melissa Yasinow, and Council Members Craig Cobb, Michael Ungar, and Kahlil Seren. They argue that the restrictions imposed by the heartbeat bill wouldn’t allow “anywhere near a sufficient amount of time” to overcome the state’s current barriers to abortion, such as its “24 hour, two-visit requirement.” “That is why this law is an effective ban on any safe and legal abortion in Ohio. This law’s intrusion into a person’s right to liberty, bodily autonomy, and privacy is unacceptable,” they write. The letter takes issue with the heartbeat bill for not providing…

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State Senate Fails to Recall Heartbeat Bill

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – A majority of Tennessee State Senate voted to table the motion to reconsider the Heartbeat Bill through a recall, putting an end to any further action on the measure during this legislative session. The Senate version of the Heartbeat Bill, SB1236 sponsored by Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) was sent to “summer study” by the Judiciary Committee on April 9. Pro-life supporters fear that the Committee’s action will mean the end of the legislation, as summer study often does. The House version of the bill, HB0077 sponsored by Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough), passed the full House on March 7 by a vote of 65 Ayes, 21 Noes and 7 Present Not Voting. As the sponsor of the bill, Senator Pody invoked Senate Rule 63 to recall the bill, and requested that action to be taken last week, as reported by The Tennessee Star. The recall would require a simple majority vote by the members of the Senate. An affirmative vote would put the bill on a future calendar of the Senate so that the whole body could vote on it. When the recall vote did not happen by last Thursday, Senator Pody vowed to request the vote…

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Tennessee Pastors Network and 162 Pastors Urge Support for Rule 63 Heartbeat Bill Vote

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Tennessee Pastors Network President Dale Walker released a letter at a press conference outside the Senate Chambers Monday afternoon signed by 162 pastors and faith leaders across Tennessee urging Governor Bill Lee and legislative leaders to speak up and support State Senator Mark Pody’s (R-Lebanon) “Rule 63” motion. Walker was joined by Pody, pro-Life Dr. Brent Boles, and Moms for Tennessee founder Cecelia DeSonia at the press conference. The Rule 63 motion is expected to be heard Monday night. If it wins 17 Senate votes the Heartbeat Bill (SB 1236) would be permitted to go to the Senate floor for a full vote. Earlier in the day Pody told the Tennessee Star that he had only secured 8 firm votes for the measure. Pody sought to have the legislation reheard in the Judiciary Committee in order to avoid bypassing the committee process and forcing a floor vote vote under Senate rules. However, Senate leadership has been unwilling to allow the bill to be brought back to life in the Judiciary Committee. In the letter, Walker and his fellow pastors ask that Lee and Legislative leadership recognize that: Leaders across Tennessee are faced with a clear choice to either support or…

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Senator Mark Pody Plans to Bring Rule 63 Heartbeat Bill Resolution to the Senate Floor Monday

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State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) has announced he plans to invoke “Rule 63” Monday night (April 22, 2019) to have the Heartbeat Bill (SB 1236) heard directly on the Senate floor. Pody sought to have the legislation reheard in the Judiciary Committee in order to avoid bypassing the committee process and forcing a floor vote vote under Senate rules. However, Senate leadership has been unwilling to allow the bill to be brought back to life in the Judiciary Committee. The Heartbeat bill has already passed in the full House by a significant margin but has been sent to “summer study” by the Senate Judiciary committee.  “Summer study” is regularly used as a tactic to kill legislation without having legislators expose themselves to criticism and scrutiny for voting against particular legislation. A Tennessee Star/Triton poll indicates that Senators opposing the Heartbeat Bill may face consequences with Republican Primary voters.  In fact, nearly two thirds are less likely to support a candidate who opposes the Heartbeat Bill. While the Senate is refusing to bring the Heartbeat Bill back to life in the Judiciary Committee, the House is reviving another Pro-life bill, the “trigger bill,” in a House committee. Pro-life activists are expected…

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SHOCKER: 150 Tennessee So-Called ‘Faith Leaders’ Tell Governor Bill Lee They Support Unrestricted Abortion Access

Laura Baigert

In a letter addressed to The Honorable Governor Bill Lee, more than 150 self-proclaimed people of faith said they oppose all attempts to criminalize and restrict abortion access. While the correspondence is not dated, it appears by the mention of “HB77 and SB1236” in the letter, that the legislature’s consideration of the Heartbeat Bill was the impetus for the letter. The Heartbeat Bill, HB0077 and SB1236, sponsored by Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough) and Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon), would ban abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected by ultrasound, usually at about six weeks after conception. HB0077 passed the state House on March 7 by a vote of 65 Ayes, 21 Nays and 7 Present Not Voting. SB1236 failed to advance in the Senate, when it was deferred to Summer Study by the Judiciary Committee on April 9. As reported by The Tennessee Star, Senate bill sponsor, Mark Pody has filed a request invoking Senate Rule 63 for the bill to be recalled so that it may be reconsidered. The faith leaders’ letter to Governor Lee was published on April 17 by LifeNews.com, an independent news agency devoted to reporting news that affects the pro-life community, according to its website.…

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The Bob Frantz Authority on WHK Radio in Cleveland Talks to State Rep Candace Keller About the Heartbeat Bill

Julie Carr

Franz: Certainly there are a lot of important faith-based organizations that helped to accomplish what was accomplished last week in Columbus. As our state legislature and our governor combined to finally win for life. The Heartbeat Bill is now law. I know a lot of faith-based people in this listening audience who are not just faithful themselves but belong to groups and there are faith-based organizations that have worked very very hard to lobby members of the Ohio state general assembly. The House and the Senate. To protect life. To fight for life. To pass a Heartbeat Bill that would make it illegal for a woman to have an abortion after a second life is confirmed. After a second heartbeat is detected. Indicating there are now two bodies that need to be protected. To separate individual lives that need to be protected. And of course, we know the battle. This has been years in the making. It passed last year before it was vetoed for a second time by Governor John Kasich. Not so much this time. The Heartbeat Bill is now the Heartbeat law. It was passed and signed into law last week by Governor Mike DeWine. And joining…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Opposition to Heartbeat Bill May Be Career-Ending Vote for State Senate Republicans

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As State Senators prepare to cast a vote on whether to bring the Heartbeat Bill (SB1236) to the Senate floor under a Rule 63 motion, and whether to support it in a final vote, a new Tennessee Star poll may bring clarity to the issue. The Triton Polling survey was conducted over four days (April 13-16) and polled 1003 likely Republican Party primary voters statewide. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percent. The poll asked: The Tennessee Legislature recently failed to pass legislation called the Heartbeat Bill that would have provided legal protection for unborn babies once a heartbeat is detected, normally 6-8 weeks into pregnancy, and severely limited the opportunity for an abortion after that point. Would you be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who opposed or failed to support the Heartbeat Bill? 21.2 percent of responders said they would be MORE likely to support a candidate who OPPOSED the Heartbeat Bill; 65.5 percent would be LESS likely to support a candidate who OPPOSED the Heartbeat Bill; 5 percent said it would make no difference and 8.2 percent were not sure or didn’t know how it might impact their vote. The House version…

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BREAKING on The Tennessee Star Report: State Senator Pody Vows to Bring Heartbeat Bill Back for a Floor Vote, Either Through Committee or Rule 63

Julie Carr

State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) vowed on Wednesday morning’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – to bring the Heartbeat Bill back for a floor vote in the Tennessee General Assembly this session, either through the exercise of Rule 63 or through a recall to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which sent the bill to summer study in a 5 to 3 vote (with one “pass” vote) last week. Here is the transcript from the show: Gill: Will the Heartbeat Bill be allowed to come up for a vote in the State Senate? They’ve killed it in committee by “putting it in summer study.” That effectively kills the Heartbeat Bill. That was the intent. It passed overwhelmingly in the House. And if you go to the Tennessee Star.com you can see results of our new Tennessee Star Triton Poll. Over a thousand Republican likely voters. And it tells you something about where Republican primary voters see Bill Haslam, Marsha Blackburn, Bill Lee, Lamar Alexander. It also tells you how Republican primary voters view the Heartbeat Bill. They like it, they love…

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