Oklahoma governor signs Texas-style ban on most abortions

Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed a Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy

By SEAN MURPHY Associated Press

3 Might 2022, 23:03

• 4 min read

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a Texas-style abortion ban on Tuesday that prohibits abortions after about six weeks of being pregnant, a part of a nationwide push in GOP-led states hopeful that the conservative U.S. Supreme Court docket will uphold new restrictions.

“I want Oklahoma to be probably the most pro-life state in the country," Stitt tweeted after signing the invoice.

Stitt's signing of the bill comes on the heels of a leaked draft opinion from the nation's high court that it is considering weakening or overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade choice that legalized abortion practically 50 years ago.

The bill Stitt signed takes impact immediately together with his signature, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court docket on Tuesday denied an emergency request to quickly halt the bill. Abortion suppliers say now that the brand new law is in effect, they'll instantly stop providing providers for girls after six weeks of pregnancy.

“Whereas the legislation is in effect, which it now is as a result of the governor signed it, abortion companies after six weeks might be largely unavailable," said Rabia Muqaddam, a employees legal professional for the New York-based Middle for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Oklahoma abortion providers in the case. “It’s a short-term loss, but we’re hopeful that the Oklahoma Supreme Court will nonetheless grant us relief."

The brand new law prohibits abortions as soon as cardiac activity will be detected in an embryo, which specialists say is roughly six weeks into a being pregnant, earlier than many ladies know they are pregnant. An identical invoice accepted in Texas last year led to a dramatic reduction in the variety of abortions performed in that state, with many women going to Oklahoma and other surrounding states for the procedure.

Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of Deliberate Parenthood Great Plains, stated Texas' legislation that took impact in September has given their workers an concept of what a post-Roe country may seem like.

“Since that day, my colleagues and I have often handled patients who're fleeing their communities to seek care," Alsaden mentioned. “They’re taking time without work of labor, taking day trip of school and taking time away from their family tasks to get the care that until September 2021 they have been in a position to get safely and readily of their communities."

The bill authorizes abortions if performed as the results of a medical emergency, but there aren't any exceptions if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

Just like the Texas legislation, the Oklahoma invoice would permit non-public citizens to sue abortion suppliers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion for up to $10,000. After the U.S. Supreme Court allowed that mechanism to remain in place, different Republican-led states sought to repeat Texas’ ban. Idaho’s governor signed the primary copycat measure in March, although it has been quickly blocked by the state’s Supreme Courtroom.

Stitt earlier this year signed a bill to make performing an abortion a felony crime in Oklahoma, but that measure will not be set to take impact until this summer season, and legal experts say it's more likely to be blocked as a result of the Roe v. Wade decision still stays the legislation of the land.

The number of abortions carried out annually in Oklahoma, which has 4 abortion clinics, has declined steadily over the last 20 years, from more than 6,200 in 2002 to 3,737 in 2020, the fewest in more than 20 years, based on information from the Oklahoma State Division of Health. In 2020, earlier than the Texas regulation was passed, about 9% of the abortions carried out in Oklahoma have been women from Texas.

Earlier than the Texas ban took impact on Sept. 1, about 40 ladies from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma every month, the data exhibits. That quantity jumped to 222 Texas women in September and 243 in October.