Center for Reproductive Rights vows to challenge new Oklahoma abortion law.

New Legislation signed into law this month by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt will likely face a challenge in the courts, and could also be affected by a US Supreme Court Ruling expected to be released soon.

The law, one of the most restrictive in the nation, makes performing an abortion a felony punishable by 10 years in prison and/or a $100,000.00 fine.

It goes into effect in August of this year.

The Center for Reproductive Rights in New York City has challenged abortion laws across the nation, including in Oklahoma.

Studio Central Reached out to the Center in late April, after the law had been signed by the governor.

While they declined an interview, they did provide us with a copy of a response from its CEO and President, Nancy Northup, who said in part “the center has sued the State of Oklahoma ten times in the past decade to protect abortion access and we will challenge this law as well to stop this travesty from ever taking effect.”

If the Center challenges the new law, the battleground could begin here in Oklahoma County, and involve the State of Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office.

Studio Central contacted the attorney general’s office two weeks ago, and while they had no one available for an interview in time for our April 28 broadcast, they did indicated they would have more information once a ruling from the US Supreme Court is issued in another case concerning Mississippi’s abortion law later this summer.  

That case is Dobbs versus Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Attorneys from the Center for Reproductive Rights argued the case at the Supreme Court last year. It has the potential of overturning two previous rulings.

Those rulings are Roe versus Wade and Planned Parenthood versus Casey; two of the most significant cases affecting reproductive rights in the nation.

At this point, then, the future of any challenges to Oklahoma’s abortion law, and that of others around the nation, would seem to hinge upon what happens in the US Supreme Court in the coming months.