The Oklahoma House passed a bill Thursday that would tell the state’s medical licensing boards to revoke a physician’s license if they perform an abortion.
House Bill 1182, the first measure passed by the House this session, makes an exception for abortions done to save a mother’s life or health, but not for cases of rape or incest. It also specifies mental health is not a legitimate basis for the procedure.
Minority Leader Emily Virgin asked bill author Rep. Jim Olsen how that would affect cases of serious birth defects like anencephaly where babies are expected to die shortly after birth and women want to avoid that trauma.
"You know, many times the mother is told that the baby will not live or the baby is severely deformed or something is terribly, terrible wrong, and many times — not always, of course — but at times, the baby turns out just fine," Olsen said.
Opponents said shutting down doctors for performing a legal procedure would cut off people in need of other care. Olsen argued it would not really have an impact.
"There are 10 doctors that perform abortions in the state of Oklahoma. Just 10. There are about 9,000 physicians in the state of Oklahoma," Olsen said.
Republican lawmakers said HB1182 is needed to reduce the number of abortions in the state.
Democratic Rep. Monroe Nichols of Tulsa said there’s a proven strategy to reduce abortions: offer more people access to health insurance that covers contraception and provide comprehensive sex education.
"And I would offer up that unless we’re willing to do those things, we actually really don’t care about reducing the number of abortions in Oklahoma," Nichols said.
Opponents also argued HB1182 will be overturned in court if it becomes law for creating an undue burden on women seeking an abortion.
HB1182 passed 71–21 along party lines. It now goes to the state Senate.
