(CNN) – Los Oklahoma state lawmakers approved a bill Thursday that would ban abortions from the “fertilization” stage. and that it would allow citizens to sue abortion providers who “intentionally” perform or induce an abortion “on a pregnant woman.”
The legislation constitutes one of the strictest anti-abortion bills in the United States. Also, is a clear opposition to the protections that the landmark Roe v. Wade on abortion rights, to the point where supporters of this guarantee have promised to file a legal challenge against the bill if it is enacted. The measure prohibits abortion at any stage of pregnancy, except for medical emergencies or if the pregnancy was due to rape, sexual assault or incest and the police were informed.
read also: Peru issued an epidemiological alert for monkeypox
HB 4327 defines “fertilization” as “the fusion of a human sperm cell with a human egg cell.” And although the measure considers that a pregnancy begins with fertilization and not implantation, it also does not restrict the use of forms of contraception that prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. According to the bill, abortion “does not include the use, prescription, administration, procurement or sale of Plan B, morning after pills, or any other type of contraception or emergency contraception“.
the state representative Republican Wendi Stearmanwho is leading the bill, told CNN after lawmakers approved it that “our intention is to discourage abortion, not contraception”.
The The Oklahoma House of Representatives approved the measure with a vote of 73-16., and now the bill heads to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk for signing into law. The president has previously promised to sign all laws that limit abortion.
read also: European Medicines Agency reviews available treatments and vaccines for monkeypox
The passage of this bill comes as Republican-led states have pushed for strict anti-abortion measures in the face of the possibility that the US Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade next month, in a case related to a Mississippi abortion law. Although many states have anti-abortion laws designed to take effect if the high court overturns Roe, the Oklahoma bill would be implemented once the governor signs it into law.
This year alone, Stitt has already signed two controversial abortion bills. One of which is modeled after a Texas anti-abortion law that allows private citizens to take civil action against abortion providers. In April, andhe Governor enacted a near-total abortion ban, making it criminal to perform an abortion in the state, with the sole exception of a medical emergency.
–
