Having passed in the Senate, Ohio’s Born-Alive Infant Protection Act has first House hearing

By Dave Andrusko

Ohio’s  Born-Alive Infant Protection Act, having passed the state Senate in October on an overwhelming vote of 26-6, held its first hearing in the House last week. Pro-abortion House Democrats, like their compatriots in the Senate, firmly opposed Senate Bill 157.

The bill would require that  doctors perform life-saving treatment to the baby, as they would to an infant born alive in any other situation. It also requires a report to be created by the Ohio Department of Health for the abortionist to file if a baby is born alive during a botched abortion. 

According to Jim Gaines of the Dayton Daily News, “Nine other states have similar reporting requirements, said Mary Parker of Ohio Right to Life.”

Ohio Right to Life lauded the bill.

“Ohio Right to Life applauds Senator Huffman and Senator Johnson, both of whom are licensed physicians in Ohio, for their incredible pro-life leadership,” said Allie Frazier, Director of Communications.  “No baby in Ohio, regardless of the circumstances surrounding their birth, should be left alone to die. This vital anti-infanticide legislation will ensure that no baby who survives a botched abortion is denied life-saving care. It will also hold abortionists accountable by establishing a much-needed reporting requirement to document when a child is born alive after an attempted abortion. Ohio Right to Life will continue to advocate for the right to life of every defenseless child, both born and unborn.”

Pro-abortion Democrats said the bill was unnecessary and “that most late-term abortions are already banned in Ohio.” 

But Johnson said “a U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention report found at least 143 infants died nationwide following an attempted abortion in a 12-year span,” Gaines  reported. Of course, these are only the reported cases. “Medical science is constantly improving, so fetuses not considered viable in the past may be so in a few years.”

“This bill doesn’t only apply to today, it applies to the future,” he said.

Of course, pro-abortion Democrats said the bill is “sponsored by the same politicians trying to ban all abortions” said Gabriel Mann, communications director for NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.