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A bill that would make Ohio's abortion laws the strictest in the nation is on its way to Gov. John Kasich's desk just hours after Republicans slipped the "heartbeat bill" into a child welfare bill. The Ohio House approved Senate amendments to the bill late Tuesday night, mostly along party lines, in a 56-39 vote. Earlier in the day, Senate Republicans added language banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, commonly known as the "heartbeat bill," to an unrelated measure. That could be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, before a woman might find out she's pregnant. (Borchardt, 12/6)

Now Republican Gov. John Kasich, who this year lost his White House bid, must decide whether to approve a law that would ban abortions even in cases of rape or incest -- likely dragging the state into a litany of court challenges -- or veto the bill. The bill would be one of the toughest restrictions on abortions in the country. (Blau and Debucquoy-Dodley, 12/7)

Texas health officials are under fire for releasing a booklet suggesting that having an abortion could increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, despite research showing no such link. State law requires that the pamphlet, called “Women’s Right to Know,” be given to women at least 24 hours before a scheduled abortion. It includes detailed information about a developing fetus and cites potential risks of the procedure, as well as complications associated with giving birth. (Somashekhar, 12/6)