Ohio ‘heartbeat bill’ won’t become law after legislature fails to override Kasich veto

The Ohio legislature failed to override outgoing Gov. John Kasich’s (R) veto of a controversial “heartbeat bill” on Thursday after the Senate fell one vote short.

The GOP-led House overrode Kasich’s veto earlier Thursday by a vote of 61-28, WOSU reported. But the Senate was unable to secure enough votes to overcome Kasich’s veto, voting 19-13 on the bill. They needed 20 votes for a successful override.

The measure would have made it illegal for a woman to get an abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, effectively banning abortions after the first few weeks of a woman’s pregnancy.

{mosads}Kasich vetoed the bill last week, while also signing legislation that would ban the procedure used for almost all second-trimester abortions. He previously vetoed a similar heartbeat bill in 2016.

Incoming Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has said he would sign the controversial measure if it were to be passed by the next legislature.

Demonstrators on both sides of the issue protested outside the Ohio statehouse on Thursday, according to WOSU. Dozens of pro-abortion rights protesters chanted and marched outside the building, the outlet reported.