Staff report

COLUMBUS — The Ohio House of Representatives today passed Senate Bill 157, the Born Alive Protection Act, to protect the lives of a child who is born alive after a failed abortion. State Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) voted yes in support of the bill.

“The sanctity of human life, born and preborn, must be preserved in Ohio,” said Powell. “This bill helps to protect and preserve innocent life in Ohio, and I’m proud to see this legislation passing in the House.”

Under the bill, a physician who performs or attempts an abortion in which a child is born alive must immediately provide life-saving care. Additionally, if the physician who performs the abortion does not attempt to save the child if they are born alive, they can be sued for the crime of abortion manslaughter.

Last month, Powell introduced The 2363 Act, House Bill 480, in honor of the 2,363 children who die every day in the U.S. from abortion. The act states that life begins at fertilization and will prohibit a doctor from performing an abortion. The legislation has already received support from a number of organizations throughout the state and across the nation.

Powell is also the founder of the Ohio House Pro-life Caucus, which works on pro-life, pro-family legislation. Currently, the caucus has 32 Republican members.

For more information, contact Rep. Powell’s office at 614-466-8114 or [email protected].