Oklahoma Abortion Bill Resembles Restricting Texas Bill

A new abortion bill is headed for a final floor vote in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Senate bill 1503 prohibits abortions if a heartbeat is detected.

It also allows for civil lawsuits to be brought against anyone who performs or aids in an abortion.

The bill does make an exception to save the life of the pregnant woman if there is a medical emergency that can't be remedied by delivery.

The bill is nearly identical to the heartbeat act that passed in Texas, even down to the language used.

Republican Rep. Todd Russell says there's a reason for that.

“What makes this bill unique is the fact that the Supreme Court has actually upheld this language, so we’ve added this language into the Oklahoma Heartbeat Bill for that purpose,” said Rep. Todd Russell (R)-Cordell.

Pro-choice advocates, including Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, say Oklahoma abortion providers have already seen an influx of Texas patients.

They claim passing this new bill would reduce access for about 900,000 additional Oklahoma women of reproductive age.

“Abortion is still legal in Oklahoma and the ACLU is here to affirm any Oklahoman that needs or wants an abortion, so all these abortion bill continue to be unconstitutional,” said Cindy Nguyen of the ACLU.

The bill passed out of committee one day after a separate abortion bill was sent to the governor.

That bill makes performing an abortion a felony, punishable by a fine up to $100,000 or 10 years in prison.

If the Oklahoma Heartbeat Act passes out of the House, it will also be sent to the governor, who says he will sign any abortion legislation that comes to his desk.