Oklahoma Bans Nearly All Abortions After Fertilization

May 19, 2022 by Dan McCue
Oklahoma Bans Nearly All Abortions After Fertilization
An abortion rights march extends down the streets during a demonstration from the National Mall to the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, Saturday, May 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Legislature on Thursday passed the nation’s strictest abortion law to date, banning almost all abortions from the moment of conception.

The bill itself was modeled on a law that took effect in Texas in September. Like the Texas law, it relies on citizens to enforce the ban to skirt lawsuits over states violating privacy rights.

The Texas law, however, only bans abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

If, as expected, Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signs the bill, it would cut off an option for Texas women who have been flooding across the state border the past eight months to seek legal procedures.

Its passage comes as the nation waits for the Supreme Court to formally release its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a decision that is now expected to overturn Roe v. Wade, which established the constitutional right to an abortion.

A draft opinion leaked from the court earlier this month suggests its conversative wing had agreed to overturn Roe in a preliminary vote.

Oklahoma apparently isn’t taking any chances. In addition to the bill voted on Thursday, it also has a trigger ban on the books that would begin immediately if Roe is struck down, as well as another abortion ban that has been languishing since the Roe decision in 1973.

The measure in Oklahoma would subject abortion providers and anyone else who aids or abets a woman getting an abortion to civil suits by ordinary citizens.

If the lawsuit is successful, the plaintiff would receive awards of at least $10,000 and compensatory damages.

The Oklahoma legislation does provide some exemptions from the all-out ban, including those carried out to save the life of the unborn child or the life of the mother in a medical emergency. It also allows abortion if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest — so long as the crime has been reported to law enforcement.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue

A+
a-
  • Abortion
  • Oklahoma
  • Supreme Court
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    In The States

    AP Decision Notes: What to Expect in Pennsylvania's State Primaries

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Pennsylvania’s two largest cities will hold primaries Tuesday for high-profile municipal offices, while voters across the commonwealth... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Pennsylvania’s two largest cities will hold primaries Tuesday for high-profile municipal offices, while voters across the commonwealth will choose nominees for statewide appellate court judgeships. The election is a prelude to November, when voters could scramble partisan control of the state Supreme Court. The... Read More

    Strike by New Jersey Transit Train Engineers Leaves Some 350,000 Commuters in the Lurch

    New Jersey Transit train engineers went on strike, leaving train terminals quiet for Friday's rush hour and an estimated 350,000 commuters... Read More

    New Jersey Transit train engineers went on strike, leaving train terminals quiet for Friday's rush hour and an estimated 350,000 commuters in New Jersey and New York City to seek other means to reach their destinations or consider staying home. Groups of picketers gathered in front of... Read More

    Missouri Lawmakers Approve Referendum to Repeal Abortion-Rights Amendment

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Six months after Missouri voters approved an abortion-rights amendment, Republican state lawmakers on Wednesday approved... Read More

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Six months after Missouri voters approved an abortion-rights amendment, Republican state lawmakers on Wednesday approved a new referendum that would seek the amendment's repeal and instead ban most abortions with exceptions for rape an incest. The newly proposed constitutional amendment would... Read More

    A Wisconsin Judge Accused of Helping a Man Evade Immigration Agents Set to Enter a Plea

    MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin judge accused of helping a man evade U.S. immigration authorities was set to appear in federal court... Read More

    MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin judge accused of helping a man evade U.S. immigration authorities was set to appear in federal court Thursday and enter a preliminary plea. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan is charged with concealing an individual to prevent arrest and obstruction. Prosecutors say she escorted... Read More

    May 14, 2025
    by Beth McCue
    Georgia Power to Construct 765 MW of Battery Energy Storage Systems

    ATLANTA — Georgia Power is saving up for tomorrow … with battery energy storage, that is. The utility recently announced... Read More

    ATLANTA — Georgia Power is saving up for tomorrow … with battery energy storage, that is. The utility recently announced that construction is underway on 765 megawatts of new battery energy storage systems located across Georgia in Bibb, Lowndes, Floyd and Cherokee counties. The BESS projects... Read More

    Maryland Gov. Moore Signs Bill to Tap Unused ACA Insurance Funds for Abortion Grant Program

    ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland will become the first state to use money collected from a surcharge on insurance plans... Read More

    ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland will become the first state to use money collected from a surcharge on insurance plans sold under the Affordable Care Act to fund a program to pay for abortions, regardless of a patient's insurance coverage, under a measure signed into law Tuesday by... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top