Oklahoma City (AP) — Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed into law on Tuesday, making it a felony perform abortion, punishable up up to 10 years in prison as part of aggressive push in Republican-led states across the country on a scale back the right to an abortion.
Checkwhich takes effect 90 days after the closing of the Legislative Assembly next month, makes an exception only for life-saving abortion of in mother. Abortion rights advocates say bill signed by GOP governor is bound to face legal challenge.
Its passage occurs as conservative The US Supreme Court considers ratchet back abortion rights that were in place for almost 50 years.
“We want ban abortion in state of Oklahoma,” Stitt said during the signing ceremony. for a bill surrounded by anti-abortion legislators, clerics and students. “I promised the people of Oklahoma that I would sign every life protection bill that hits my desk, and that’s what we’re doing here today.”
According to the bill, anyone convicted of to have an abortion face up up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. It doesn’t allow criminal accusations against young woman for getting an abortion.
Sen. Nathan Dam, Broken Arrow Republican, now running for Congress who wrote a bill, called it “the strongest legislation in a country right now that effectively eliminates abortion in Oklahoma.”
Abortion rights advocates say the bill is clearly unconstitutional and similar laws have recently been passed. in Arkansas and Alabama were blocked by federal courts.
“Oklahoma legislators are trying to ban abortion from all sides and just see what of these dangerous, shameful bills they can make their governor sign”, Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi, Obstetrician-Gynecologist in Texas and Oklahoma and board member of the Doctors for Reproductive health, said in statement.
While similar anti-abortion bills are approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in recent years have been halted as unconstitutional, anti-abortion lawmakers have been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. decision to allow new Abortion restrictions in Texas to remain in place.
new Texas law, the strictest anti-abortion law effect in United States in decades, leaves law enforcement up to private citizens, who have the right to collect what critics call “reward” of $10,000 if they file a successful claim against provider or anyone who helps patient have an abortion.
“U.S. Supreme Court failure the effort to stop Texas from revoking the constitutional right to abortion has inspired other states to do the same,” Nancy Northup, President and CEO. of Center in New York for reproductive rights, said in statement. “We sued the state of Oklahoma ten times in in last decade for abortion access and we will challenge this law so that this parody never takes effect”.
Several states, including Oklahoma, enforce laws similar to those of Texas. This year.
Texas Law bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. abortions in Texas has fallen by about 50% since the law was passed took effect number of Texans go to clinics out of status and request of abortion pills online gone up.
One of Texas-style Oklahoma bills i.e one vote away from the governor’s table would ban abortion from the moment of concept and will take effect immediately after the governor’s signature.
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