Oklahoma

Here’s How Oklahoma Banned Abortion Even Before Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade

Published

3 years ago

May 26, 2022

Here’s How Oklahoma Banned Abortion Even Before Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade

Topline

Oklahoma has now outlawed all abortions from the second of fertilization after Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed an abortion ban into legislation Wednesday night time—the harshest abortion restriction within the U.S. since Roe v. Wade was determined in 1973—which was allowed to take impact even with Roe nonetheless in place as a result of it copied Texas’ related ban.

Professional-abortion rights demonstrators rally in Boston, Massachusetts on Might 8.

AFP by way of Getty Photos

Key Info

Stitt signed into legislation HB 4327, which bans all abortions besides attributable to medical emergencies or within the case of rape, incest or sexual assault—however provided that these crimes have been reported to legislation enforcement.

The legislation took impact instantly upon being signed.

The abortion ban, like Texas’ related six-week ban, is enforced by way of civil lawsuits moderately than by state officers, permitting any personal citizen to sue anybody who performs the process or “knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets” an abortion for $10,000 in damages.

HB 4327 doesn’t permit individuals to sue the one that really has the abortion.

Whereas abortion bans enforced by state officers have been struck down in court docket with Roe v. Wade nonetheless intact, the Texas and Oklahoma legal guidelines have been designed to be tougher for courts to dam, as having personal residents perform the ban means it’s tougher to call defendants in lawsuits who a court docket can really cease from imposing the legislation.

That’s labored out to date in Texas, whose legislation the U.S. Supreme Courtroom and Texas Supreme Courtroom have to date let stand as a result of they dominated abortion suppliers can’t really sue any state officers.

What To Watch For

Abortion rights organizations together with Deliberate Parenthood have already vowed to file litigation towards the Oklahoma ban, although based mostly on the success Texas’ legislation has had in court docket, it’s unclear if the authorized problem will succeed. Idaho has additionally enacted a legislation copying Texas’ six-week ban, which really has been quickly blocked in court docket, however the Idaho ban was blocked in state court docket based mostly on Idaho legislation, so the authorized arguments there wouldn’t essentially apply in Oklahoma’s case.

What We Don’t Know

Whether or not the ban and its lawsuit enforcement mechanism will even be crucial in a number of weeks, because the U.S. Supreme Courtroom may quickly overturn Roe v. Wade and let states straight ban abortion with out having to try to get across the courts. A draft opinion from February leaked by Politico revealed a majority of justices have been then in favor of hanging down Roe totally, declaring the landmark ruling “egregiously unsuitable.” That ruling shouldn’t be closing, nonetheless, and the official determination will probably be launched in June. If Roe is overturned, Oklahoma has a “set off ban” that may go even additional to ban abortion, making performing the process a felony punishable by between two to 5 years in jail and solely having an exception for when the lifetime of the pregnant individual is in danger. The state additionally has a second abortion ban that’s set to take impact this summer season that will impose even harsher penalties, making performing the process punishable by as much as 10 years in jail and a $100,000 effective.

Chief Critic

“We’re seeing the start of a domino impact that may unfold throughout your entire South and Midwest if Roe falls,” Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Middle for Reproductive Rights, mentioned in an announcement Wednesday night time. “Proper now, sufferers in Oklahoma are being thrown right into a state of chaos and worry. That chaos will solely intensify as surrounding states minimize off entry as nicely.”

Key Background

Oklahoma’s ban might be the primary of greater than a dozen state abortion bans to take impact because the Supreme Courtroom seems poised to overturn Roe v. Wade. Along with Oklahoma, 12 different states have abortion “set off legal guidelines” on the books that may outlaw the process if Roe is struck down, and the pro-abortion rights Guttmacher Institute initiatives 26 states will ban the process if Roe isn’t in place. Oklahoma lawmakers have moved aggressively to ban abortion in current months—enacting three separate bans since April alone—as Texas’ six-week ban has despatched a flood of Texans to the state to get abortions. Roughly 48% of Texas sufferers in search of abortions went to Oklahoma to have the process between September and December 2021, after the Texas ban took impact, based on a research from the College of Texas at Austin. “A state of emergency exists in Oklahoma,” Oklahoma Senate President Professional Tempore Greg Deal with (R) mentioned in April in regards to the surge of Texas abortion sufferers touring to Oklahoma. “And that’s the rationale we’re making each effort to get our legal guidelines modified.”

Additional Studying

Oklahoma Passes Third Abortion Ban—Will Outlaw Process Even If Roe V. Wade Isn’t Overturned (Forbes)

Oklahoma Lawmakers Go Invoice That Bans Virtually All Abortions—And Makes Performing One A Felony (Forbes)

Oklahoma Enacts Texas-Model 6-Week Abortion Ban (Forbes)

Whereas the nation grapples with post-Roe potentialities, Oklahoma is already residing it, advocates say (PBS Information Hour)

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Oklahoma

Gophers help fill need on defense with Oklahoma State linebacker

Published

5 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Gophers help fill need on defense with Oklahoma State linebacker

The Gophers football program addressed a need in the middle of its defense for the 2025 season with Oklahoma State linebacker Jeff Roberson on Thursday night.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound graduate transfer from Choctaw, Okla., totaled 58 tackles, including 8.5 for lost yards, three sacks and one interception in 12 games in 2024. He had a middling 57.7 grade from Pro Football Focus, along with 19 pressures, but also 11 missed tackles last season.

Roberson played 670 snaps last season, but only 107 across 2021 and 2023. He played special teams as a freshman in 2020 and missed the 2022 season with injury.

Roberson will help fill the void left by leading tackler Cody Lindenberg; the Anoka native declared for the NFL draft after the regular season and skipped the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Maverick Baranowski and Devon Williams top the U’s depth chart at linebacker going into next season.

The Gophers have added 15 total players via the NCAA transfer portal since early December and are still looking for help at cornerback and possibly defensive line.

Originally Published: January 10, 2025 at 12:00 AM CST

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Oklahoma

Ole Miss Linebacker Transfer Trip White Commits to Oklahoma State

Published

13 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Ole Miss Linebacker Transfer Trip White Commits to Oklahoma State

TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER

The Cowboys went to the SEC to pick another linebacker out of the portal.

Ole Miss transfer Trip White, who was listed at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds last season, pledged to Oklahoma State, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. White played in all 13 of the Rebels’ games this past season, his redshirt sophomore year. He made one tackle, primarily playing special teams.

White played in three games while maintaining a redshirt as a true freshman in 2022. He appeared in five games in 2023, and to this point has totaled nine career tackles.

Out of Parkview Magnet in Little Rock, Arkansas, White was a three-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class and chose Ole Miss over offers from Arkansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Louisville, Oklahoma State, Indiana and others. The 247Sports Composite system tabbed White as the No. 1,103 player in the class, the No. 109 linebacker in the class and the No. 12 player from Arkansas in 2022. He also started as his team’s quarterback as a high school senior, throwing for 2,035 yards and 19 touchdowns to go with 445 rushing yards and seven more scores.

White becomes the third linebacker the Pokes have grabbed out of the portal, joining Bryan McCoy (Akron) and Brandon Rawls (Saginaw Valley State). White’s addition comes a few days after Jeff Roberson hopped in the portal. With Roberson, Nick Martin, Collin Oliver and Kendal Daniels all gone from last season’s squad, OSU’s linebacker room — like most position rooms — will look quite a bit different heading into 2025. Kap Dede is set to coach that group, with new OSU defensive coordinator Todd Grantham bringing him in from Western Kentucky.

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Oklahoma

Trio of Oklahoma Sooners selected to preseason All-American teams

Published

21 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Trio of Oklahoma Sooners selected to preseason All-American teams

The Oklahoma Sooners will open the 2025 softball season on Feb. 6 against the CSUN Matadors in San Diego. After a historic season, Oklahoma faces a lot of turnover after losing a number of fixtures in the lineup to graduation.

The Sooners certainly aren’t lacking for talent, however, as a trio of players were named to Softball America’s preseason All-American teams on Tuesday.

Sophomore outfielder Kasidi Pickering and Utility/DP Ella Parker were named to Softball America’s first team. Newcomer Abby Dayton was named to the second team.

Parker led the Oklahoma Sooners with a .415 batting average from the utility role. She also had 13 home runs and 62 RBIs as a true freshman. Parker hit .500 over Oklahoma’s final four games to clinch their fourth-straight national title.

Pickering hit .389 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs as a true freshman for the Sooners. In the Women’s College World Series final against Texas, she had home runs in both games against the Texas Longhorns to win the championship.

Abby Dayton is one of a number of impact transfers for the Oklahoma Sooners this season. She led the Pac-12 in batting average, hitting .431 and also had an on-base percentage of .510 for the Utah Utes.

The Oklahoma Sooners will have a new look, but led by this trio of stars, the defending national champions will be ready to compete in the SEC.

More: 5 Oklahoma Sooners included in Softball America’s top 100

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