Oklahoma Governor Signs Fetal Heartbeat Abortion Bill

Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed a law on Tuesday banning abortions in the state upon detection of a fetal heartbeat, or about six weeks into pregnancy.

The law, known as the Oklahoma Heartbeat Act, is modeled on a Texas law that took effect in September 2021 that allows private citizens to sue anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion, barring the pregnant woman herself. The Oklahoma bill allows lawsuits of up to $10,000 per abortion against anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion. Rapists and men who commit incest are barred from suing an abortion provider under the law.

“I want Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country because I represent all four million Oklahomans who overwhelmingly want to protect the unborn,” Stitt said in a statement on Twitter.

The state House passed the bill 68-12 last week, following passage by the Senate. While the bill takes effect immediately, Planned Parenthood and other abortion groups filed a lawsuit last week to challenge the law.

Stitt’s signature comes less than a day after a draft Supreme Court opinion indicating the Court could overturn Roe v. Wade was obtained and published by Politico. Oklahoma is one of several states with an abortion ban that would go into effect if Roe is overturned.

Stitt also signed a bill on April 12 deeming providing an abortion a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $100,000 fine. That law applies in all cases except where a woman’s life is in danger, and will take effect in August unless it is challenged in court.

“We’re going to sign every piece of pro-life legislation that hits our desk,” Stitt said at a signing ceremony for the bill. “We want it clear that we want to choose life in Oklahoma. We don’t want to allow abortions in the state of Oklahoma.”