Fed Judge Temporarily Blocks Ohio Heartbeat Law That Restricts Abortion, Clinics to Remain Open

Gov. Mike DeWine signs a bill that prohibits aborting an unborn child with a detectable heartbeat in Columbus, OH. Fred Squillante/The Columbus Dispatch via AP, File

A federal judge on July 3 blocked Ohio from enforcing a new abortion law that would effectively ban most abortions in the state.

U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett in Cincinnati issued a preliminary injunction (pdf) against enforcing the “Heartbeat Protection Act,” saying it imposed an “‘undue burden’ on a woman’s right to choose a pre-viability abortion.”