The Ohio state House has passed a bill to require life-saving treatment for any baby who survives an abortion.
Today, S.B. 157, the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act, passed out of the Ohio House. The measure has already cleared the state Senate. S.B. 157 was introduced by Senators Steve Huffman and Terry Johnson, two pro-life, Ohio licensed physicians.
Senate Bill 157 would require 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. It would also require that doctors perform life-saving treatment to the baby as they would to an infant born alive in any other situation.
After the House approved the measure, Mary Parker, Director of Legislative Affairs at Ohio Right to Life told LifeNews it hopes Governor Mike DeWine will sign it into law.
“Ohio Right to Life applauds committee Chairman Susan Manchester and Speaker Bob Cupp for their incredible pro-life leadership. S.B. 157 now heads to Governor Mike DeWine for his signature,” Parker said.
Parker added: “No baby in Ohio, regardless of the circumstances surrounding his or her birth, should be left alone to die. This vital anti-infanticide legislation will ensure that a baby who survives a botched abortion receives life-saving care. It will also hold abortionists accountable by establishing a 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.”
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The pro-life bill would create penalties for abortionists who fail to preserve the health or life of a child who survives an abortion. It also would require abortionists to report to the Ohio Department of Health when a baby is born alive in a botched abortion.
“The bill acknowledges the simple fact that regardless of the circumstances surrounding his or her birth, every child deserves our compassion and care,” said Sen. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, a physician and the lead sponsor of the legislation.
Babies do survive abortions, though no one is sure exactly how many. In America, most states do not keep track of abortion survivors, but a few do.
Between 2016 and 2018, three states reported 40 babies were born alive after botched abortions. According to the state health data, 11 babies were born alive in Minnesota, 10 in Arizona and 19 in Florida. Texas reported six babies were born alive in botched abortions in 2019. In Michigan, state health reports from 2008 through 2013 indicate that 11 babies were born alive after abortions.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, as well as the personal testimonies of nurses and abortion survivors themselves, also provide evidence that babies survive abortions. According to the CDC, at least 143 babies were born alive after botched abortions between 2003 and 2014 in the U.S., though there likely are more.
A recent analysis by the Charlotte Lozier Institute found that protections for babies who survive abortions are inconsistent across the United States, with fewer than half of states maintaining sufficient protections.
