Making News in Oklahoma
In late September, the Center filed a case against a dangerous law in Oklahoma that will impose a host of restrictions on a woman’s access to abortion and cost the state over a quarter of a million dollars a year to enforce.Besides a requirement that women seeking abortions fill out a survey that asks about race, education and their reasons for seeking the procedure, the law also requires doctors to provide detailed information about any complications that arise as a result of abortions. The state Health Department would compile the information into a report and post it online. The bill also prohibits abortions based on the gender of the fetus.
The case has caught the media’s attention, and a number of websites have covered this important issue. Salon quoted Jennifer Mondino, staff attorney at the Center, about the effects of Oklahoma’s law: “The sex-selective bans in effect limit access to abortion because it may chill doctors from providing the service. It’s difficult for a doctor to determine the reason why a woman is having an abortion. So it’s yet another hurdle for doctors who are simply trying to provide a legal safe service. The legislature has chosen to pass this law rather than doing something that may actually combat a problem that may or may not exist in Oklahoma.” Read the full story, “The details of your abortion online” on Salon and find out what others have had to say:
CNN: Abortion: Private Matter or Public Record? >,
Associated Press: Oklahoma judge blocks enforcement of abortion law >,
Women’s eNews: Okla. Abortion Publicity Law Blocked By Court >,
Jezebel: Endorsement of Oklahoma Abortion Law Delayed >,
RH Reality Check: Oklahoma Law Requires Details of Every Abortion Performed Be Published Online >,
Huffington Post: Oklahoma Abortion Law — Details to Be Publicly Posted Online >,
The Examiner: New Abortion Law to Publish Information Online >,
