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Measures similar to Ohio's "heartbeat bill," tacked on to unrelated legislation and hurried through both houses of the legislature Tuesday, were struck down by federal judges in other states as problematic and antithetical to well-established legal precedent pertaining to abortion. The judges who ruled against Arkansas and North Dakota's laws were all appointed by Republicans, and the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court also decided to leave the lower court's rulings in place and reinforce existing precedent. (Heisig, 12/7)

A bill that would require the federal government to conduct more research into health risks faced by women who use medications while breast-feeding is headed to President Barack Obama for his signature. The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday, marking a win for its chief author, Washington state Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler. The House passed the bill last week. The bill, called the Safe Medications for Moms and Babies Act, would create a new task force of federal and medical experts to study the issue and report to Congress. It’s co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida. (Hotakainen, 12/7)