Oklahoma Governor Signs Sweeping Anti-Abortion Legislation

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed multiple bills making the medical procedure almost completely inaccessible in his state.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed a spate of anti-abortion legislation Monday that would make the procedure nearly impossible to access in the state. The signed pieces of legislation, which are all expected to face court challenges, include a bill revoking the medical license of any doctor who performs an abortion unless it’s done to protect the mother’s life or bodily functions, effectively eliminating all abortion access in the state. Another bill be signed would require abortion providers to test for a “fetal heartbeat” ― a medically inaccurate and misleading term ― in patients seeking abortions and deny them access to the procedure if one is detected. The law effectively bans abortion at around six weeks of pregnancy, which is before most patients even know they’re pregnant.