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The American Civil Liberties Union, its Ohio branch and Planned Parenthood on Wednesday filed a lawsuit challenging an Ohio law that they say could ban abortion as early as six weeks into a woman's pregnancy. The law, which was passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature in April, bans abortions if doctors can detect a heartbeat, which can occur as early as six weeks into pregnancy. (6/16)

"Simply put, the Ohio law we're challenging today flies in the face of the Constitution," said Elizabeth Watson, staff attorney for the ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project. The ACLU of Ohio and Planned Parenthood joined the ACLU in filing the lawsuit. Similar laws have passed this year in Mississippi and Georgia, while another in Kentucky was blocked in court earlier this year. (Hellmann, 5/15)

After telling Gov. Mike DeWine they would see him in court, Ohio abortion providers have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn a pending law to forbid abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected — typically around six weeks. The action filed in U.S. District Court in Columbus on Wednesday asks a judge to stay enforcement of the “heartbeat” law, scheduled to take effect July 11, and overturn it as causing “irreparable harm to plaintiffs’ patients from the unconstitutional denial of their reproductive rights.” (Ludlow, 5/15)

Elizabeth Watson, a staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, on a separate press call, called the Ohio bill part of the growing “concerted national effort to limit abortion.” “Let this be a warning to the anti-abortion politicians in Ohio and across the country: if you attack our right to abortion, we will always be here to defend it,” said Watson. (Raman, 5/15)