The Oklahoma House has moved to approve a bill making abortion illegal.
The Republican-controlled House voted 70-14 to forward the bill, known as Senate Bill 612, to Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, who has previously shown support for anti-abortion efforts. Abortion would be a felony punishable by ten years in prison under this new measure. In addition, perpetrators could face a $100,000 fine. However, GOP state Rep. Jim Olsen confirmed that the penalties are “for the doctor, not for the woman.”
The Oklahoma bill was passed on the same day that over 100 protestors gathered for the “Bans Off Oklahoma” demonstration outside the Capitol in support of women and abortion rights.
Interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, Emily Wales, slammed the new bill.
“These restrictions are not about improving the safety of the work that we do. They are about shaming and stigmatizing people who need and deserve abortion access,” Wales stated.
This new move in Oklahoma comes as conservative Republican-controlled states push to wipe away abortions or make them incredibly difficult to obtain. Texas passed a ban on abortions after the six week mark. As a result, many Texans have fled to the nearby state for the procedure. Now, the four Oklahoma abortion providers in the state will face a drought, and women seeking abortions in either state will have to travel further to terminate a pregnancy or carry it to term.
