"For Oklahoma, this massive pile of quagmired bullshit got even foggier on Friday, when Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-Okl.) signed into law H.B. 1168, an effort to further restrict-and ultimately eliminate-access to telehealth abortions."
"Under Oklahoma's current abortion ban, which was signed into law by Stitt in 2022, it's already a felony to prescribe or provide any kind of "medicine, drug or substance" that can cause an abortion. H.B. 1168 layers an extra felony on top of that, with penalties doubly as severe."
"Specifically, it threatens a new charge on anyone accused of sending someone in the state abortion pills without a prescription with up to a $100,000 fine, and up to 10 years in prison. There are a few exceptions, such as when a woman has an ectopic pregnancy or a sudden miscarriage."
"The bill was advanced by the Senate late April in a 37-10 vote. The bill makes "trafficking an abortion-inducing drug" (which, let's be clear, is not a thing) a crime, punishable with a fine up to $100,000 and/or jail time up to 10 years."
A federal court dispute over mifepristone and telehealth abortion access created confusion for doctors and patients, leading some providers to switch to alternative medications. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed H.B. 1168 to further restrict telehealth abortions. Under the existing 2022 abortion ban, prescribing or providing any medicine that can cause an abortion is already a felony. H.B. 1168 adds an additional felony for sending abortion pills into the state without a prescription, with penalties up to $100,000 and up to 10 years in prison. Limited exceptions include ectopic pregnancy or sudden miscarriage. The bill advanced in the Senate by a 37-10 vote.
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