The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging an Ohio law prohibiting doctors from performing abortions based on a diagnosis of Down syndrome, saying claims it is an anti-discrimination effort are a masquerade. The filing calls the measure "Ohio's latest attempt to prevent women from exercising their constitutionally protected right to an abortion" and argues it prevents abortion providers "from providing nonjudgmental, medically appropriate care." The law was championed by Ohio Right to Life, the state's oldest and largest anti-abortion group, which argued it will prevent discrimination based on misinformation. Emily Chesnut, of Cincinnati, whose 6-year-old daughter, Nora, was born with Down syndrome, joined plaintiffs in the case at Thursday's news conference to attack the law. That state's sole abortion clinic, in Fargo, says the issue hasn't arisen under its policy of not performing abortions after 16 weeks into a pregnancy.

Source: ABC News February 15, 2018 16:09 UTC