Measure introduced in Ohio would ban abortion outright

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A group of conservative lawmakers in Ohio has introduced a bill to outlaw abortion outright.

State Rep. Candice Keller is a Republican from Middletown and says backers are tired of taking an incremental approach to ending abortion.

The legislation was introduced Thursday. It declares a fetus a person and would subject doctors who terminate pregnancies to potential murder charges.

The bill appears to make an exception for the life of the mother.

Ohio is among states that have passed restrictive abortion laws in recent years in hopes of sparking a legal challenge that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

The conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has emboldened abortion opponents.

The Ohio bill is opposed by abortion rights groups. The state’s largest anti-abortion group is remaining neutral.