Oklahoma has passed a bill prohibiting abortion from the moment of fertilization at a Republican-led legislature on Wednesday.
The bill promoted by Republican Wendi Stearman received two-thirds votes in ‘YEA’ of those elected to constitute the House.
If signed by Governor Kevin Stitt (R), the bill will turn into a law and will allow citizens to sue anyone who intentionally helps to bring the pregnancy to an end.
The bill aims to prohibit termination of pregnancy at any stage except for medical emergencies or if the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest that was reported to law enforcement.
Vice-president Kamala Harris condemned the bill yesterday. She called the ban “outrageous” and said, “it’s just the latest in a series of extreme laws from around the country”.
The ban comes on the heels of a leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court that planned to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade decision. The 1973 decision protected a woman’s right and legalized abortion nearly 50 years ago.