Planned Parenthood officials say that Oklahoma's abortion ban isn't just a state issue, but a national one since many patients are from out of state.
Oklahoma, a state which once served as a refuge for Texans seeking an abortion, has approved a bill to make pregnancy termination illegal.
In response to Texas enacting an abortion restriction in September 2021, banning the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, many Texans fled to abortion clinics in Oklahoma. But Oklahoma passed a bill Tuesday that would make performing an abortion a felony if it isn't conducted to save the mother's life, making it harder for citizens in both states to get the procedure.
"Oklahoma is going from a state where we've been a haven for refugees who've needed support to a state that has chosen to make refugees of its own citizens," said Emily Wales, interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri.
Oklahoma has approved a bill to make pregnancy termination illegal. Above, Debra Sweet holds up a sign as she joins others gathered for a reproductive-rights rally on September 1, 2021, in downtown Brooklyn in New York City.Since Texas passed the ban, residents received abortion care in other states including Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi.