The Ohio Senate's Republican leader says he's asking a group of state lawmakers to review legal questions related to a bill that would ban abortions at the first detectable fetal heartbeat.
President Tom Niehaus said Tuesday he wants the group to vet any legal issues and report back to him in November.
The measure called the "heartbeat bill" passed the Ohio House in June, but has stalled in the Senate.
Ohio Right to Life has taken issue with the bill, fearing a legal challenge could jeopardize other abortion limits in Ohio and expand access to legal abortions.
Niehaus said he was "distressed" by the split the legislation has caused in the anti-abortion community.
The Legislature is not expected to be in session until after the Nov. 8 election.