Oklahoman
Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed bills to limit abortions in Oklahoma, make the state a Second Amendment Sanctuary and prevent the government from closing places of worship during emergency situations.
The bills were hotly debated in Oklahoma s Republican-led Legislature, but had widespread support among GOP legislators.
Here s a look at some of the legislation the governor signed Monday.
New anti-abortion laws could be challenged
Stitt signed three bills that seek to limit the number of abortions performed in Oklahoma.
One or more of the laws is likely to result in a court challenge because critics have said the measures interfere with a woman s constitutional right to seek an abortion.
People gather for the 47th March For Life rally on the National Mall where U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the crowd, January 24, 2020, in Washington, D.C. The Right to Life Campaign held its annual March For Life rally and march to the U.S. Supreme Court protesting the high court s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision making abortion legal nationwide. | Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Oklahoma has become the latest state to pass a law that prohibits abortions performed on an unborn baby with a detectable heartbeat in nearly all circumstances.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 2441 into law on Monday. The measure bans abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, except for a life-threatening medical emergency for the mother.
Print this article
Gov. Kevin Stitt signed three bills imposing new restrictions on abortion in Oklahoma, including his state’s own version of a “fetal heartbeat” bill.
Stitt, a Republican, put his signature on HB 2441, HB 1102, and HB 1904 on Monday, all of which the GOP-controlled Legislature sent to his desk on Wednesday.
HB 2441 prohibits the performance of an abortion without first determining whether there is a detectable fetal heartbeat. In the event that a heartbeat is detected, an abortion would be prohibited unless the health or life of the mother were at risk.
Stitt signed HB 1102, which makes it illegal to perform an abortion unless the procedure is performed to prevent the death or significant physical impairment of the mother. Violation could cause one’s medical license to be suspended.
Governor signs abortion ban while acknowledging it is unconstitutional
Governor signs abortion ban while acknowledging it is unconstitutional
March 9, 20212:50 pm
To no one’s surprise, Governor Hutchinson today signed SB 6, virtually a total ban on abortion in Arkansas.
His statement:
Advertisement
SB6 is a pro-life bill that prohibits abortion in all cases except to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency. It does not include exceptions for rape and incest.
I will sign SB6 because of overwhelming legislative support and my sincere and long-held pro-life convictions. SB6 is in contradiction of binding precedents of the U.S. Supreme Court, but it is the intent of the legislation to set the stage for the Supreme Court overturning current case law. I would have preferred the legislation to include the exceptions for rape and incest, which has been my consistent view, and such exceptions would increase the chances for a review by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Governor Asa Hutchinson
US Governor Asa Hutchinson has signed a legally dubious ban on nearly all abortions in Arkansas, where the procedure is already extremely difficult for women to access.
The new law outlaws abortion except in cases where the pregnancy poses a risk to the mother’s life, making it one of the most restrictive such measures in the US. It makes no exceptions for patients pregnant through rape or incest ― an omission that even Hutchinson once said concerned him.
The governor cited his “long-held pro-life convictions” as his reason for signing the bill into law on Tuesday. He added that he would have “preferred” legislation with exceptions for rape and incest but decided to sign it anyway.