Oklahoma Legislature Passes Bill to Make Performing an Abortion Illegal, Punishable by 10 Years in Prison

The Oklahoma House passed a bill on Tuesday that would make performing an abortion a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, aside from in cases where the life of the mother is in danger.

The bill, which passed the Oklahoma Senate last year and was added to the agenda Monday night, passed in a 70 to 14 vote after little discussion or debate, the Washington Post reported. Olivia Cappello, a press officer for state media campaigns at Planned Parenthood, told the outlet that in the time it took to set up a pro-choice “Bans Off Our Bodies” rally outside the Oklahoma Capitol, the house had already gaveled the bill into session and voted on it.

The Republican-led bill now heads to the desk of Republican Governor Kevin Stitt. If signed into law, the bill would take effect this summer. However, it is likely to face legal challenges.

The bill aims to address the “state of emergency” brought upon Oklahoma by the Texas law banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, Oklahoma senate president Greg Treat has said. Treat said a “sickening” number of abortions have been performed in Oklahoma since the Texas law took effect in September, with many Texans traveling to Oklahoma to receive abortions.

The bill that passed the house on Tuesday does not include the enforcement mechanism used by Texas’ abortion ban, which allows any individual to sue anyone who knowingly performs or aids in an abortion after a fetal heartbeat has been detected, removing the responsibility of enforcement from the state’s executive branch and placing it into the hands of citizens. Plaintiffs can earn up to $10,000 in damages through litigation related to the Texas law.

Republican lawmakers in the Oklahoma legislature have tried several times to pass legislation restricting abortion in the state in recent months, including two measures similar to the Texas law. Both of those bills have passed one chamber and could still potentially advance before the end of the legislative session.