Oklahoma lawmakers approve bill criminalizing abortion

Oklahoma legislature approved on Thursday, May 19 a bill for near-total abortion ban which stands to overturn a 1973 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that legalized abortion across all states.

A vote of 33-12 in favor of the bill could spell three years of imprisonment as well as loss of license for doctors who perform an abortion. The only exception for the procedure would be to save a mother's life.

"Since I believe life begins at conception, it should be protected, and I believe it's a core function of state government to defend that life from the beginning of conception," Republican Sen. Nathan Dahm, sponsor of the bill, told Associated Press. Dahm aims that the bill could overturn U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has only until Wednesday, May 25 to approve or veto the bill. Her spokesman Michael McNutt noted that once the five-day period has passed, the bill could become law even without the governor's signature.

Critics and abortion rights advocates are hoping this won't be the case as they believe the bill is unconstitutional. They also indicated that they're willing to challenge it in court once it passes and becomes law.

"This obviously unconstitutional bill will never withstand legal scrutiny," president of the reproductive rights advocacy group Naral Pro-Choice America Ilyse Hogue said in a statement. "It is a shameful new low for the anti-choice movement."

"Oklahoma politicians have made it their mission year after year to restrict women's access to vital health care services, yet this total ban on abortion is a new low," Atty. Amanda Allen, who represents The Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. She added that they are closely watching the bill and they "strongly urge Governor Fallin to reject this cruel and unconstitutional ban."

Senate Democratic leader John Sparks criticized Thursday's legislation as an "emotional distraction." The state is reportedly struggling with a looming $1.3 billion budget hole that could result in deep budget cuts for the state's public schools, health care, and prison system. Sparks accused the Republicans for not having an answer to their failed policies and using the abortion ban bill instead to distract the people.