The Oklahoma legislature has passed an abortion bill similar to the one in Texas, on Thursday.
The Oklahoma Heartbeat Act, formerly known as SB 1503, prohibits abortions when cardiac activity can be detected in a fetus which might be as early as six weeks with exceptions in case of medical emergencies, rapes, or incest. The bill also allows any private citizen to sue anyone who provides an abortion or helps a woman to get one.
Women from states with strict abortion laws like Texas would go to Oklahoma for abortions.
“None of these states were set up to accept thousands of patients from another state. We have access issues of our own in each of these states,” said Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, Communications Director of Trust Women Foundation.
The ban would take effect once Governor Kevin Stitt signs it. But abortion providers have already filed a legal challenge in court. The Supreme Court will evaluate the issue in a case involving Mississippi’s abortion law, in June this year.
