Oklahoma Guv Vetoes Bill That Would Have Banned Abortion

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin smiles before delivering the State of the State address in Oklahoma City, Monday, Feb. 2, 2015. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
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Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin vetoed a bill passed by the GOP legislature that would have effectively banned abortion in the state, her office announced Friday. The bill would have made it a felony for a physician to conduct the procedure. Their medical licenses would have also been revoked under the legislation.

Fallin said in a statement she vetoed the bill because she did not think it would have survived a constitutional legal challenge.

“While I consistently have and continue to support a re-examination of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, this legislation cannot accomplish that re-examination,” Fallin wrote in her veto message. “In fact, the most direct path to a re-examination of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade is the appointment of a conservative, pro-life justice to the United States Supreme Court.”

Fallin has signed 18 bills targeting reproductive services since she became governor in 2011. Many of them have been challenged in court.

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Notable Replies

  1. Wonders never cease.

    Nor do political l motivations.

  2. Now all that’s left before making popcorn is for the OK legislature to override her veto.

  3. A Republican that shows signs of a brain!

  4. It seems OK has wrestled the title of the Most Regressive State from all contenders. As least for this week.

  5. ok i was wrong

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