Gov. Kasich signs incredibly restrictive abortion ban, worsening reproductive rights in Ohio

Governor John Kasich (R) banned one of the most common abortion procedures in the entire state of Ohio on Friday, when he signed Senate Bill 145 into law. The bill referred to abortions that typically take place in the second trimester (which is often the earliest pregnant people are able to access an abortion, for any number of reasons). Specifically, the bill makes D&E (dilation and evacuation) abortions illegal in the state.

And for physicians, performing this abortion now means committing a fourth-degree felony. That means possible fines and prison time.

There is one—one—exception to this horrendous law. That exception is if the person carrying the fetus is at risk of losing their life by carrying to term. Disturbingly, the law does not make exceptions even in cases of rape or incest, which is a new low, even for conservatives.