Supreme Court decision triggers another abortion ban into law in Oklahoma
In the past few months, Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed several abortion bans.
In the past few months, Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed several abortion bans.
In the past few months, Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed several abortion bans.
The Supreme Court’s decision has triggered another abortion ban to become law in Oklahoma.
In the past few months, Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed several abortion bans. None of the laws on the books would punish the women having the procedure, rather the providers through lawsuits.
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The trigger law reinstates abortion bans from the 1910s, and since the attorney general certified the law on Friday, it is effective. Abortion is now a crime except when the mother’s life is at risk.
"We're devastated, while we've anticipated this to come down for a while, to actually see it that Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey is overruled, we're really trying to process it," said Tamya Cox-Toure, ACLU of Oklahoma.
Sen. Greg Treat, (R) Oklahoma City, reacted as well.
"Praise God. It's been something I've been praying for, it's the whole reason I got involved in politics when I was a student at OU, I got involved in the pro-life movement, it's the only reason I joined the Republican party, it's the only reason, it's the only reason I got in races, it's the only reason I ran for office," Treat said.
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As expected, there were different reactions from lawmakers and abortion-rights groups. The AG moved on Friday to authorize Senate Bill 1555 which reinstates an Oklahoma statute that says anyone who provides, prescribes, procures or advises on an abortion shall be guilty of a felony.
Anyone found guilty can be imprisoned for up to five years with a minimum sentence of two years. Treat authored the trigger bill.
"It's a win for democracy. This returns power to the people, people in statehouses all across the country can set the policy that best first their state," Treat said.
The ACLU views the ruling as an attack on individual rights.
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"This is the first time at least in my lifetime and in many people's lifetime where we've seen a loss of rights and we don't know where it ends," Cox-Toure said.
Despite all these rulings, the ACLU said they would continue with legal challenges. They believe state privacy laws protect access to abortion.