The bill, HB 4327, is among the strictest in the country on abortion and is a clear disapproval of the protections granted in the historic case of 1973 Roe v. Wade who legalized abortion nationwide. Advocates for abortion rights have pledged to file a legal challenge to the law, which will take effect immediately.
According to the measure, abortion is prohibited at any stage of the pregnancy, with the exception of medical emergencies or if the pregnancy was the result of rape, sexual assault or incest and was reported to the forces of the order.
The law defines “fertilization” as “the fusion of a human sperm with a human egg.” Although the bill considers that pregnancy begins with fertilization and not implantation, the bill does not restrict the use of contraceptives that prevent a fertilized egg from being implanted in the uterus. According to the bill, abortion “does not include the use, prescription, administration, obtaining or sale of Plan B, morning-after pills or any other type of emergency contraception or contraception.”
Following the signing of the bill, Stitt said in a statement: “I promised the people of Oklahoma that, as governor, I would sign all the pro-life laws that were found on my desk and I am proud of keep that promise today. “
“From the moment life begins to conceive is when we as human beings have a responsibility to do everything we can to protect the life of this baby and the life of the mother,” Stitt continued, adding that “If other states want to pass different laws, that’s their right, but in Oklahoma we will always stand up for life.”
The governor’s signature comes when Republican-led states have pushed for strict abortion measures in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe in a case related to a Mississippi abortion law. Earlier this month, a draft opinion leaked by Supreme Court Judge Samuel Alito showed that the Conservative majority court was willing to overturn a federal constitutional right to abortion.
The final opinion on the case has not been released, and votes and language may still change sooner. The opinion is not expected to be issued until the end of June.
While many states have so-called trigger laws in their books, which prohibit abortion if the high court reverses Roe, the Oklahoma bill went into effect after Stitt passed it.
Stitt had already signed two controversial measures on abortion this year, including one inspired by a Texas abortion law that allows private citizens to take civil action against abortion providers for enforcing the law. In April, the governor of Oklahoma signed an almost total ban on abortion by law that makes abortion illegal in the state, with one exception only in the event of a medical emergency. This law will come into force this summer if it is not blocked by the courts.
Advocates for abortion rights warn that Oklahoma bans would eliminate access to abortion throughout the South and will be devastating not only for Oklahoma residents but also for Texans seeking care. abortion in the state.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Rebekah Riess, Jeremy Grisham and Devan Cole contributed to this report.