August 30, 2022

Oklahoma's Abortion Trigger Law Takes Effect

On Friday, August 26, Oklahoma's trigger law banning abortion went into effect. The law bans all abortions except to save the life of the mother.

Abortionists found guilty of violating the abortion ban could face up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The mother cannot be found guilty of a crime.

Oklahoma State Sen. Nathan Dahm, who authored the trigger law, celebrated that it finally took effect. “Today (Friday), after almost two years of work, Senate Bill 612 is in effect,” Dahm said. “I am proud that our state did not wait for the Supreme Court but led the way and passed this law to successfully eliminate abortion in Oklahoma before Roe v. Wade was overturned.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre released a statement criticizing Oklahoma along with several other states that passed pro-life laws.
“Today marks the latest attack against the fundamental rights of Americans as new abortion bans go into effect in Idaho, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. These extreme bans will criminalize abortion, in some cases without exceptions for rape or incest. These near-total abortion bans are part of a growing effort by Republican legislators to roll back the freedoms Americans have relied on for nearly half a century. Today’s radical steps take away women’s reproductive rights and put personal health care decisions in the hands of politicians instead of women and their doctors, threatening women’s health and lives.”

Abortion threatens and ends millions of lives every year. Oklahoma's citizens elected pro-life legislators with the intent to save lives from the deadly practice of abortion. The trigger law is not a tyrannical piece of legislation drafted by misogynistic politicians without their consituents' consent. It is a manifestation of democracy taking effect after being stifled by 50 years of Roe v. Wade.

Click here to read more.