Enid, OK — A controversial bill known as the “Abolishing Abortion Act” failed to pass the Oklahoma Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, after a lengthy, nearly two-hour hearing that saw strong opposition from several committee members.
The bill, introduced by State Senator Deever, sought to criminalize women who take abortion pills, as well as doctors who prescribe them, by labeling them as murderers. The proposal would have drastically altered the state’s criminal code to impose penalties on those seeking or providing abortion care, even if the procedure was legally obtained in another state or through online services.
While proponents of the bill argued that it was a necessary step in the fight against abortion, critics, including Tamya Cox-Toure of the ACLU of Oklahoma, expressed concern over the language used and the potential consequences. Cox-Toure stated, “We try not to use that language that’s very co-opted from, you know, around slavery. They co-opted that. However, even potentially getting a hearing in the Senate would be alarming to all Oklahomans. Even having it as a talking point… People may not know that it’s not an actual law, and what that impact could be.”
