Ohio voters divided over abortion bill

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A new poll shows Ohio voters are evenly split over a bill that would impose the nation's strictest abortion limit.

The so-called heartbeat bill would outlaw abortions at the first detectable fetal heartbeat, sometimes as early as six weeks into pregnancy. It passed the Ohio House in June and has been pending in the Senate.

The Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday shows a statistical tie over the bill. Forty-five percent support it, and 46 percent oppose it.

Additionally, 72 percent of voters said a drilling process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, should stop until there are further studies on its impact. The process uses chemicals pumped into the ground to break up shale.

The survey of 1,610 Ohio voters has a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points.