Two Anti-Abortion Bills Pass In House Committee

Two controversial abortion bills have passed a House committee and now head to the full state House of Representatives.  

The bills are generating a lot of attention, especially after the author of one of the bills referred to pregnant women as a "host."

The first bill, called the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act of 2017, would make it illegal to have an abortion because a fetus faces genetic abnormalities.  

“I believe bills that could be challenged as unconstitutional are a waste of taxpayer dollars that we do not have right now,” said Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-Oklahoma City, who opposed the bill.

The bill’s author, Rep. George Faught, R-District 14, disagreed. 

“We have made this constitutional. We’ve mirrored the same legislation that we have in law that allows for not having an abortion due to gender selection,” Faught said.

The second bill, House Bill 1441, according to it’s author, Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-District 19, would “stop an abortion if the father does not agree to the abortion.”

Humphrey came under fire for saying a father should have a say in whether a woman has an abortion, and that she is a "host for the fetus."  

He dialed that back a little Tuesday, but maintains he doesn’t know a better way to describe a pregnant woman.

“But I’ve not continued to use that out of respect to the people who’ve said they don’t like it,” Humphrey said.

At least, Humphrey said though, he’s starting conversation on the issue.

“Delegating women to only hosts during pregnancy is offensive to all Oklahoma women, but most importantly his comments that this is an opportunity for him to start a conversation is a waste of taxpayer money,” Tamya Cox, of Planned Parenthood, said. “This is irresponsible, unacceptable legislation.”

Humphrey said his bill would make exceptions for women who are victims of rape or incest, or if the mother’s life is in danger.