Oklahoma Senate approves bill that would make it a felony for doctors to perform abortions

The Oklahoma Senate approved a bill Thursday that would make it a felony for doctors to perform abortions. Opponents have called the proposal unconstitutional and have said it essentially amounts to a ban on the procedure, The Hill reports.

"This total ban on abortion is a new low. When abortion is illegal, women and their health, futures, and families suffer," Amanda Allen of the Center for Reproductive Rights told The Hill. Others have said that the bill is the first of its kind in the U.S.; if it were to become a law, doctors would lose their licenses if they performed abortions except in cases of saving a mother's life. Rape and incest abortions would be illegal.

The bill will now go to Republican Gov. Mary Fallin, who has five days to either sign or veto. Fallin has historically supported anti-abortion measures, although legal action will likely be pursued if indeed she signs the bill into law.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up