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A bill imposing one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the nation was signed into law in Ohio on Thursday, banning abortions after a detectable heartbeat in a long-sought victory for abortion opponents that drew an immediate constitutional challenge. In signing the heartbeat bill, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine broke with his predecessor, Republican John Kasich, who had vetoed the measure twice on grounds that it was unconstitutional. (4/12)

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed one of the nation's most restrictive abortion bans into law Thursday afternoon and opponents have already pledged to take him to court. DeWine, a Republican, said government’s role should be to protect life from beginning to end. (Balmert and Borchardt, 4/11)

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) on Thursday signed into law one of the country's most stringent abortion laws, with opponents vowing to file legal challenges. The bill bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which doctors say can be as early as five or six weeks into pregnancy. “The government’s role should be protect life from the beginning to the end … the signing of this bill today is consistent with that respect for life,” DeWine said at the signing ceremony. (Rodrigo, 4/11)

Now known as the "Human Rights Protection Act," SB 23 outlaws abortions as early as five or six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women know they're pregnant. It is one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. The bill does include an exception to save the life of the woman, but no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. (Rosenberg, 4/11)

Activists on both sides of the issue say such laws, which are commonly blocked by court injunctions, are aimed at getting a case sent to the U.S. Supreme Court, where conservatives hold a 5-4 majority, to challenge Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. (4/11)

If a fetal heartbeat bill-introduced by Republican Senator Dennis Baxley and Republican Representative Mike Hill becomes law, it would take away one of these options. Once a heartbeat is detected the woman would have to carry a pregnancy to term unless it threatens her life or she’s the victim of rape or incest. (Prieur, 4/11)

A Texas sheriff’s department said Thursday it had “security concerns” over social media posts targeting a Republican lawmaker, who has come under fire by some conservative activists after blocking a bill that could lead to a woman being charged with homicide if she has an abortion. It marks the second time this month that Texas law enforcement has taken protective measures involving Republican lawmakers, who in both cases have been blamed by frustrated groups for torpedoing divisive measures, first over guns and now abortion. (Silber, 4/11)

Lawmakers at the General Assembly started moving a bill this week that would punish doctors who don’t attempt to resuscitate and provide care for a fetus that might be born alive during an abortion attempt. The move comes a scant two weeks after a U.S. district court judge struck down North Carolina’s ban on abortion after 20 weeks’ gestation. It also comes amid an emotionally charged national debate on the treatment of babies born with severe, life-ending anomalies. (Hoban. 4/11)

Planned Parenthood of Arizona has filed a sweeping lawsuit against the state seeking to overturn laws that it argues are designed block women's access to a legal medical procedure. The lawsuit targets so-called"TRAP laws" — or Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers — that reproductive-rights groups say make it difficult or impossible for women to access abortion, especially those who live the state's vast rural areas. (Gardiner, 4/11)

Abortion rights groups filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging Arizona laws they say unnecessarily restrict access to the procedures and leave most rural areas without clinics. The legal action by Planned Parenthood Arizona targets laws that prohibit anyone other than a physician from performing abortions; require patients to visit clinics twice over a 24-hour period for counseling; and bar the use of telemedicine in providing abortion services. (Billeaud, 4/11)