Sandra O'Brien
Sandra O'Brien | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Ohio Senate from the 32nd district | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Sean O'Brien |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Lenox Township, Ohio[1] |
| Alma mater | Bowling Green University (BA) Edinboro University (Master of Educational Administration) |
Sandra O'Brien is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate representing the 32nd district. She was elected in 2020, defeating Democratic incumbent Sean O'Brien with just under 51% of the vote.[2]
Abortion legislation
In 2019, O'Brien co-sponsored Ohio Senate Bill 23, widely known as the "Heartbeat Bill." The law bans most abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, which typically occurs around six weeks into pregnancy—before many people know they are pregnant. The bill makes no exceptions for rape or incest. Governor Mike DeWine signed the bill into law on April 11, 2019.[3]
O'Brien’s co-sponsorship of SB 23 reflected her alignment with efforts to impose stricter abortion regulations in Ohio. The legislation sparked significant legal and public controversy.[4]
In September 2022, a judge in Hamilton County temporarily blocked the law’s enforcement, restoring abortion access in the state up to 22 weeks of pregnancy while litigation continued.[5]
References
- ^ "Sean O'Brien v. Sandra O'Brien". vindy.com. Oct 20, 2020. Retrieved Jan 17, 2021.
- ^ "Sandra O'Brien unseats Sean O'Brien to represent 32nd District". wkbn.com. Nov 3, 2020. Retrieved Jan 17, 2021.
- ^ Ingber, Sasha (2019-04-11). "A Bill Banning Most Abortions Becomes Law In Ohio". NPR. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
- ^ "Ohio Senate Bill 23 - 2019". LegiScan. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
- ^ "Ohio Lower Court Blocks Six-Week Abortion Ban, Restoring Reproductive Rights Across State". ACLU. 2022-09-14. Retrieved 2025-05-23.