If a female convict sentenced to death appears to be pregnant, the warden or sheriff having custody of the convict, her counsel, or a physician who has examined the convict shall give notice of the apparent pregnancy to the appropriate judge of the appropriate court of common pleas as determined in the same manner as is provided in divisions (B)(1)(a) and (b) of section 2949.28 of the Revised Code, and like proceedings shall be had as are provided under sections 2949.28 and 2949.29 of the Revised Code in case of an insane convict sentenced to death, except to the extent that they by their nature clearly would be inapplicable.

If it is found at the inquiry held in accordance with sections 2949.28 and 2949.29 of the Revised Code that the convict is not pregnant, the sentence shall be executed at the time previously appointed, unless that time has passed pending completion of the inquiry, in which case the judge conducting the inquiry, if authorized by the supreme court, shall appoint a new time for execution of the sentence to be effective fifteen days from the date of the entry of the judge's ruling in the inquiry.

If it is found at the inquiry that the convict is pregnant, the judge shall suspend execution of the sentence and order the convict to be confined in the area at which other convicts sentenced to death are confined or in an appropriate medical facility. When the court finds that the convict no longer is pregnant, if the time previously appointed for execution of the sentence has not passed, the sentence shall be executed at the previously appointed time. When the court finds that the convict no longer is pregnant, if the time previously appointed for execution of the sentence has passed, the judge who conducts the inquiry, if authorized by the supreme court, shall appoint a new time for execution of the sentence to be effective fifteen days from the date of the entry of the judge's ruling in the inquiry.

Effective Date: 07-29-1998.