Oklahoma legislature passes 6-week abortion ban similar to Texas law

The Oklahoma legislature gave ultimate approval Thursday to a so-called “heartbeat invoice” that seeks to ban most abortions within the state.

It’s the newest invoice within the U.S. modeled after the strict Texas regulation that prohibits abortions after six weeks, earlier than most girls know they’re pregnant.

Formally referred to as S.B. 1503, however generally known as the “Oklahoma Heartbeat Act,” the invoice bans abortions after cardiac exercise might be detected in an embryo or fetus. There are exceptions for when the mom’s life is in danger, however not for rape or incest.

This isn’t the primary abortion ban that Oklahoma has handed in 2022. Earlier this month, lawmakers handed a invoice that will make performing an abortion a felony, punishable by as much as a number of years in jail.

On the similar time, one other invoice was handed permitting any personal citizen to sue somebody who performs an abortion, intends to carry out an abortion or helps a girl will get an abortion after a fetal heartbeat might be detected. These residents might be awarded not less than $10,000 for each abortion carried out.

Nevertheless, a civil lawsuit can’t be introduced towards a girl who receives an abortion. Moreover, somebody who impregnated a girl by way of rape or incest wouldn’t be allowed to sue.

The invoice is now heading to the desk of Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is anticipated to signal it. Due to the invoice’s emergency clause, it should go into impact as soon as signed by the governor.

“We wish Oklahoma to be essentially the most pro-life state within the nation,” Stitt stated when he signed the earlier abortion invoice. “We wish to outlaw abortion within the state of Oklahoma.”

The governor’s workplace instructed ABC Information in an announcement it “doesn’t touch upon pending laws.”

“The Texas regulation has already saved the lives of many unborn kids,” Republican state. Sen. Julie Daniels, who sponsored S.B. 1503, stated in an announcement final month. “We will obtain the identical end in Oklahoma with SB 1503.”

Deliberate Parenthood and the Heart for Reproductive Rights stated they plan to ask the Oklahoma State Court docket to dam the invoice earlier than it goes into impact and ends most abortion care within the state.

“Except these abortion bans are stopped, Oklahomans can be robbed of the liberty to manage their very own our bodies and futures,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Deliberate Parenthood Federation of America, stated in an announcement. “Except these bans are blocked, sufferers can be turned away, folks looking for abortion can be unable to entry important care in their very own communities, and their family members might be stopped from supporting them because of worry of being sued.”

Because the regulation in Texas went into impact in September 2021, hundreds of girls have flocked to Oklahoma to obtain the process.

A latest research from the Texas Coverage Analysis Undertaking on the College of Texas Austin discovered that of the 1,500 ladies that traveled out of state each month to obtain abortion since September, 45% visited Oklahoma.

Emily Wales, interim president and CEO of Deliberate Parenthood Nice Plains, stated the group has served tons of of girls who’ve traveled from Texas to Oklahoma to hunt abortion care.

“Now, somewhat than serving as a haven for sufferers unable to get care at residence, Oklahoma politicians have made outcasts of their very own folks,” Wales stated in an announcement. “With right this moment’s filings, we carry up the sufferers who will in any other case be unable to get care and ask the courtroom to do its most important perform: honor the structure and the people who want its protections.”

Beneath the invoice making performing abortion a felony, any medical supplier who performs an abortion would face a high quality of $100,000 and as much as 10 years in jail. The one exceptions for performing an abortion could be if the mom’s life is at risk.

A number of Republican-led states have been passing abortion laws forward of a Supreme Court docket determination in June that can resolve the way forward for Roe v. Wade. The courtroom will assessment a 15-week ban in Mississippi and resolve whether or not or not it’s constitutional. If the ban is asserted constitutional, it may result in Roe v. Wade being overturned or severely gutted.

ABC Information’ Ely Brown contributed to this report.