Ohio pastors urge state Senate to vote on abortion bill

COLUMBUS (AP) — About two dozen Ohio pastors are urging the state Senate to vote on a bill that would impose the nation’s strictest abortion limit.

Backers of the bill invited pastors of churches from Cleveland to Cincinnati to speak at the Statehouse on Wednesday as part of their latest push to get the legislation through the Republican-led Senate. The pastors also planned to visit the 33 senators. They say they’re praying for the bill to pass.

The proposal would outlaw abortions at the first detectable fetal heartbeat — sometimes as early as six weeks into pregnancy.

The measure cleared the Ohio House in June. Supporters had believed it was headed toward passage in the Senate before the holiday break, but Senate President Tom Niehaus suspended hearings on the measure in December.