Aiexpress – An Oklahoma bill that aims to establish a comprehensive database containing information about individuals who have undergone an abortion is making progress towards being enacted.
The Oklahoma Right To Human Life Act, proposed by state Rep. Kevin West, was approved by the Public Health Committee last week and is now heading for a full House vote next month. This legislation aims to establish a database managed by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, where each patient will be assigned a “unique patient identifier.” The purpose of this database is to monitor the number and timing of abortions performed on each patient. In the event of a court order, the patient’s information, including their identity, may be disclosed to the authorities.
Oklahoma currently prohibits all abortions, except in cases where it is necessary to save the life of the mother. However, it does not provide any exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
According to Tamya Cox-Toure, the executive director of the ACLU of Oklahoma, the law has the potential to dissuade patients from seeking abortions in cases of medical emergencies and could also discourage doctors from performing them.
According to The Daily Beast, individuals who are undergoing abortions for medical reasons, specifically to protect the health of the pregnant person, will be included in this database.”
According to the expert, even in cases where terminating the pregnancy is necessary to save the life of the pregnant person, there is still a significant amount of stigma surrounding this decision. She points out that requiring patients to disclose this information violates the principles of doctor-patient confidentiality and patient-informed consent.
According to The Daily Beast, House Minority leader Cyndi Munson expressed her agreement with the notion that such actions only serve to perpetuate fear and shame. She further emphasized that these measures not only affect individuals seeking abortions but also have a significant impact on healthcare providers in the field of reproductive healthcare.
State Representative Trish Ranson expressed her concerns about the bill, labeling it as a significant infringement on privacy during the committee’s intense discussion.
According to Fox 25, Ransom expressed the belief that the patient-doctor relationship is sacred. He found it alarming that the woman’s information would be reported elsewhere and assigned a number.
During the hearing, West passionately defended the bill, stating his intention to track abortions in a manner similar to how public health authorities track causes of death. However, he acknowledged the need to protect patient privacy and expressed openness to making adjustments to the bill’s language to ensure patients are less identifiable.
West collaborated with the Alliance Defending Freedom in drafting his bill. This conservative legal advocacy group played a significant role in the landmark Supreme Court case that overturned Roe v Wade. Notably, the group is currently involved in a lawsuit aiming to prohibit the use of mifepristone, a medication used in abortions. Furthermore, they recently submitted a brief to the Supreme Court in support of an anti-abortion law in Idaho.
The bill also mandates that doctors provide a written explanation, given under oath, for their decision to perform an abortion and their assessment of the situation as an emergency. Those who perform abortions outside of life-threatening emergencies could face legal action and potential revocation of their medical license.
According to The Oklahoman, committee members have raised concerns about the potential impact of the law on certain forms of contraception, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs). However, West has stated his intention to revise the bill and narrow its focus to over-the-counter emergency contraception, specifically referring to Plan B.
Patients in states with abortion bans, including Oklahoma, have faced difficulties in determining what qualifies as a medical emergency. This lack of clarity has led to instances where doctors have denied patients necessary care in situations that pose a threat to their lives or health.
Katie Cox, a patient in Texas, filed a lawsuit against the state in order to exercise her right to terminate her pregnancy. She had been hospitalized multiple times due to complications, and her fetus had been diagnosed with a fatal genetic condition. Unfortunately, the Texas Supreme Court denied her request, leaving her with no choice but to seek treatment outside of the state. In a separate case, twenty-two other women are also suing the state, alleging that they were denied access to abortion care for pregnancies that posed a danger to their health.
Sam Paisley, the press secretary for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, expressed deep concern and strong disapproval towards the Oklahoma law. He highlighted the alarming nature of this legislation, especially in a political climate where Republican legislators across the country are actively pushing for the complete ban of abortion.
According to her, the recent proposals of banning IUDs and other contraceptives, treating the abortion pill as a form of drug trafficking, and establishing a statewide database of women who have undergone abortions are just a few examples of the extreme measures being introduced nationwide.
Lawmakers on the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee recently passed a bill that seeks to allow prosecutors to bring forth felony drug-trafficking charges against individuals who possess or distribute abortion-inducing medication, like mifepristone. In the wake of the reversal of Roe, there has been a significant increase in the number of individuals resorting to ordering abortion pills online. These pills serve as a safe alternative for those who face restricted access to in-clinic abortions due to the implementation of new anti-abortion laws.
Delivering abortion pills or possessing them with the intent to deliver could result in a 10-year prison sentence or fines of up to $100,000, according to the bill.
Munson expresses concern about Oklahomans becoming desensitized to the multitude of anti-abortion bills introduced in the state legislature after the landmark decision of Roe.
“I worry that the general public has come to expect these things to occur,” she expressed concern. “It’s troubling to think that people may believe they are powerless to effect change.”
She expressed her concern by saying, “I’m worried that these are passing too easily because they move so quickly.”
