Oklahoma state House approves bill to make abortion illegal

By SEAN MURPHY
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma House has given final legislative approval to a bill that would make performing an abortion a felony. The bill passed Tuesday on a 70-14 vote with little discussion and no debate. It now heads to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who has indicated he’ll sign it. The bill makes it a felony to perform an abortion, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The bill makes an exception only for an abortion performed to save the life of the mother. Similar bills approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in recent years have been stopped by the courts as unconstitutional. The bill’s passage came on the same day a “Bans Off Oklahoma” rally was being held at the Capitol in support of abortion rights.