Oklahoma
Oklahoma approves the nation’s most restrictive abortion ban
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s Legislature gave last approval Thursday to a different Texas-style anti-abortion invoice that suppliers say would be the most restrictive within the nation as soon as the governor indicators it.
The invoice is a part of an aggressive push in Republican-led states throughout the nation to cut back abortion rights. It comes on the heels of a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court docket that means justices are contemplating weakening or overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade choice that legalized abortion practically 50 years in the past.
The invoice by Collinsville Republican Rep. Wendi Stearman would prohibit all abortions, besides to save lots of the lifetime of a pregnant girl or if the being pregnant is the results of rape or incest that has been reported to regulation enforcement.
“Is our aim to defend the precise to life or is not it?” Stearman requested her colleagues earlier than the invoice handed on a 73-16 vote largely alongside occasion traces.
The invoice is one among at the least three anti-abortion payments despatched this yr to Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who has indicated he’ll signal it. One other Texas-style abortion invoice that prohibits the process after cardiac exercise will be detected within the embryo, which consultants say is about six weeks, already has taken impact and has already dramatically curtailed the follow in Oklahoma. One other invoice set to take impact this summer season would make it a felony to carry out an abortion, punishable by as much as 10 years in jail. That invoice accommodates no exceptions for rape or incest.
“At this level, we’re making ready for essentially the most restrictive atmosphere politicians can create: a whole ban on abortion with possible no exceptions,” mentioned Emily Wales, interim president and CEO of Deliberate Parenthood Nice Plains, which stopped offering abortions at two of its Oklahoma clinics after the six-week ban took impact earlier this month. “It’s the worst-case situation for abortion care within the state of Oklahoma.”
Just like the Texas regulation, the Oklahoma invoice would enable personal residents to sue abortion suppliers or anybody who helps a girl get hold of abortion. After the U.S. Supreme Court docket allowed that mechanism to stay in place, different Republican-led states sought to repeat Texas’ ban. Idaho’s governor signed the primary copycat measure in March, though it has been quickly blocked by the state’s Supreme Court docket.
After Texas handed its invoice final yr, there was a dramatic discount within the variety of abortions carried out in that state, with many ladies going to Oklahoma and different surrounding states for the process.
There are authorized challenges pending in Oklahoma to each the invoice to criminalize abortion and the six-week Texas ban, however the courts have to date did not cease both measure.