Oklahoma Legislature approves bill banning abortions following ‘fertilization’
On Thursday, the Oklahoma legislature passed a bill to ban abortions at the point of “fertilization”. Private citizens can sue abortion providers who “knowingly” induce or perform an abortion on a pregnant woman.
This legislation is one of the most restrictive on abortion in the country. HB 4327 bans abortions at any stage of pregnancy. There are exceptions for medical emergencies and if the pregnancy is a result of rape or sexual assault that was reported to law enforcement.
The measure was approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives with a vote of 72-16. It now goes to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has pledged previously to sign any piece of legislation restricting abortion that reaches his desk. CNN reached out to the governor’s offices for comment.
Two controversial abortion laws have been signed by Stitt this year
One is which was modeled after the Texas law that allows citizens to sue abortion providers in civil court to enforce the law. The governor passed a near-total ban on abortion into law in April. This makes abortion illegal in the state with the exception of medical emergencies.
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