That state's adoption of the nation's strictest abortion ban -- after 12 weeks of pregnancy, when a fetal heartbeat is usually found -- is spurring advocates to push similar legislation in Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, North Dakota and Wyoming. Legal scholars say such laws have little chance of withstanding federal court scrutiny.
The New York Times: Arkansas's Abortion Ban And One Man's Strong Will
The adoption by Arkansas last week of the country's strictest abortion ban -- at 12 weeks of pregnancy, when a fetal heartbeat is typically detected -- gave a new jolt of energy to a loose band of abortion foes who are pushing similar measures in several states. Fetal heartbeat laws are already under consideration by legislatures in Ohio, Kansas and North Dakota, and have a good chance of passage in the coming year, their proponents believe, even though legal experts say they have little chance of surviving in federal courts (Eckholm 3/11).