The State of Oklahoma passed a Pro-Life bill modeled after the Texas Heartbeat Act, set to take effect immediately upon being signed by the governor. Like the Texas Heartbeat Act, Oklahoma’s Pro-Life bill (Senate Bill 1503) protects preborn children from abortion after a detectable heartbeat. Taking further que from Texas, Oklahoma’s Pro-Life law will be enforced privately through civil lawsuits against abortionists, abortion businesses, and those who aid and abet in illegal abortions.
Since taking effect on September 1, 2021, the Texas Heartbeat is estimated to have saved approximately 100 lives per day.
This incredible impact motivated Oklahoma state lawmakers to take action. “The Texas law has already saved the lives of many unborn children,” explained Julie Daniels, the Pro-Life Oklahoma state senator who sponsored the legislation. “We can achieve the same result in Oklahoma with SB 1503.”
Since the bill includes an emergency provision, it will take effect immediately once signed by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. However, the abortion industry has already filed a lawsuit in the Oklahoma Supreme Court in attempt to block the Pro-Life law from taking effect while the case proceeds. The lawsuit was filed against the State of Oklahoma and 77 state court clerks.
“Since September 2021, most abortion access has ended in Texas due to the state’s law, S.B. 8 (the Texas Heartbeat Act),” the abortion business suing Oklahoma’s Pro-Life law stated.
The Texas Heartbeat Act, after which the Oklahoma law is modeled, has been sued by the abortion industry approximately two dozen times. Fourteen of these lawsuits are against Texas Right to Life specifically because of our work to champion passage and enforcement of the law. So far, the Texas Heartbeat Act has withstood each of these lawsuits and continues to remain in effect today.
Over 20,000 preborn lives have been saved from abortion since the Texas Heartbeat Act took effect. We celebrate Oklahoma passing SB 1503 and look forward to the thousands of lives that will be saved as a result of their state’s bold stance for Life.