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 Related 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 Courtroom will uphold new restrictions.

“I need Oklahoma to be probably the most pro-life state within the country," Stitt tweeted after signing the bill.

Stitt's signing of the invoice comes on the heels of a leaked draft opinion from the nation's excessive courtroom that it's considering weakening or overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion practically 50 years ago.

The invoice Stitt signed takes effect immediately along with his signature, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court docket on Tuesday denied an emergency request to briefly halt the bill. Abortion suppliers say now that the brand new regulation is in effect, they are going to instantly stop offering companies for women after six weeks of pregnancy.

“While the legislation is in effect, which it now's as a result of the governor signed it, abortion services after six weeks will be largely unavailable," mentioned Rabia Muqaddam, a staff legal professional for the New York-based Middle for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Oklahoma abortion providers within the case. “It’s a short-term loss, however we’re hopeful that the Oklahoma Supreme Court docket will nonetheless grant us reduction."

The new regulation prohibits abortions once cardiac exercise may be detected in an embryo, which specialists say is roughly six weeks right into a being pregnant, earlier than many women know they're pregnant. The same bill permitted in Texas final yr led to a dramatic discount within the variety of abortions performed in that state, with many ladies going to Oklahoma and different surrounding states for the procedure.

Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of Planned Parenthood Nice Plains, mentioned Texas' law that took effect in September has given their employees an concept of what a post-Roe nation would possibly appear like.

“Since that day, my colleagues and I've often handled sufferers who are fleeing their communities to hunt care," Alsaden mentioned. “They’re taking time off of labor, taking day out of school and taking time away from their household tasks to get the care that till September 2021 they had been in a position to get safely and readily in their communities."

The bill authorizes abortions if carried out as the result of a medical emergency, however there are no exceptions if the pregnancy is the results of rape or incest.

Just like the Texas legislation, the Oklahoma invoice would allow non-public citizens to sue abortion providers or anybody who helps a woman acquire an abortion for as much as $10,000. After the U.S. Supreme Court docket allowed that mechanism to remain in place, other Republican-led states sought to copy Texas’ ban. Idaho’s governor signed the first copycat measure in March, though it has been quickly blocked by the state’s Supreme Court docket.

Stitt earlier this year signed a bill to make performing an abortion a felony crime in Oklahoma, however that measure is just not set to take effect till this summer time, and authorized experts say it's likely to be blocked because the Roe v. Wade determination nonetheless stays the legislation of the land.

The variety of abortions carried out annually in Oklahoma, which has 4 abortion clinics, has declined steadily over the last 20 years, from greater than 6,200 in 2002 to three,737 in 2020, the fewest in additional than 20 years, in keeping with data from the Oklahoma State Department of Well being. In 2020, earlier than the Texas legislation was handed, about 9% of the abortions carried out in Oklahoma had been ladies from Texas.

Before the Texas ban took effect on Sept. 1, about 40 girls from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma every month, the info exhibits. That number jumped to 222 Texas ladies in September and 243 in October.