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Oklahoma Senate Sends Three Bills Restricting Abortion Access To The Governor

The State Capitol
Whitney Bryen
/
Oklahoma Watch
The State Capitol

The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday sent three bills restricting access to abortion to the Governor. If Governor Stitt signs them into law, legal challenges are likely.  

The most restrictive bill adds performing an abortion to the list of misconduct that can cost a doctor their license, with a minimum penalty of a year’s suspension. There’s an exception for an abortion that saves the pregnant person’s life, including for people who doctors believe are imminently suicidal.

Another measure would make performing an abortion murder after a fetal heartbeat is detectable -- usually, that’s around the six-week mark, before most people know they’re pregnant. That bill also has an exception for life-saving abortions.

The third bill requires anyone performing an abortion, including those performed by giving someone medication, to be a board-certified OB-GYN. That would put Norman’s only abortion provider out of business -- he’s a general surgeon.

Governor Stitt previously said that he intends to sign any anti-abortion bill that comes across his desk. If he follows through with these three bills, they will all face difficult, and expensive, court battles.

 

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