Senate committee continues to ignore abortion abolition, passes weak pro-life bills instead

Rather than hearing legislation that would abolish abortion, the Oklahoma State Senate - at Pro Tem Greg Treat's direction - is instead serving out some weak, bland legislative "dishes" with a haphazardly slapped-on "pro-life" label.

The ugly truth about most of the pro-life legislation passed by pro-life Oklahoma legislatures in the past decade or more is that they have accomplished little or nothing. There are new abortion clinics murder mills in Oklahoma. Every year, four to five thousand babies are still murdered, with full legal consent. Abortive mothers are declining or ignoring the "pro-life" materials that legislators voted to make available (mind you, these measures were touted as saving lives, yet according to the most recent data from the Health Department not one mother who received the material changed her mind about having an abortion).

Abortion abolitionism is the most consistent application of a biblically-minded "pro-life" philosophy. Abortion is murder, plain and simply; period, end of sentence. It's murder at 36 weeks, it's murder at 20 weeks, it's murder at 12 weeks, it's murder at 6 weeks, it's murder at 2 weeks. Drawing an arbitrary line at any point after life begins (conception) at which baby murder is a-okay is injustice. Every pro-life bill that seeks to regulate abortion is, in fact, ultimately perpetuating it. 

Unfortunately, Sen. Greg Treat is at the forefront of fighting the abolition of abortion. The legislature will pass these do-nothing measures right in time to check the pro-life box on their campaign material this fall. Meanwhile, abolition bills will languish in the dark, without so much as an opportunity at a committee hearing.

Anyway, here's Treat's press release:

Pro Tem Treat’s pro-life bills advance to Senate floor

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Health and Human Services Committee on Monday advanced four pro-life bills from Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat.

Senate Bill 1552
Senate Bill 1552 allows the Oklahoma State Department of Health to contract directly with private organizations who provide services related to the Choosing Childbirth Act.

“Allowing the health department to contract directly with private organizations that support women who make the brave choice to carry a child to term rather than seek an abortion makes more life-saving resources available to even more expectant mothers and their children,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

The bill now advances to the Senate floor for consideration.

Senate Bill 1553
Senate Bill 1553 modifies current state statutes and moves to 30-days from conception the prohibition on abortion in Oklahoma.

“Life at every stage is precious and must be valued and protected. The prevalence of abortions is a tragedy for our society. Hopefully, the U.S. Supreme Court will soon take steps that will allow Oklahoma and other states to have laws that accurately reflect our collective desire to protect the unborn,” Treat said.

The bill next goes to the Senate floor for consideration.

Senate Bill 1555
Senate Bill 1555 amends “trigger language” from 2021’s SB 918 so should the central holdings of Roe v. Wade or Planned Parenthood v. Casey be overturned, or should the U.S. Constitution be amended to allow states to set abortion policy, Oklahoma may enforce the existing prohibition of abortion in state statute or enact similar statutes prohibiting an abortion throughout pregnancy.

“Pending at the U.S. Supreme Court is a case that could overturn all or parts of Roe v. Wade and other federal case law that tragically allows abortions to proceed. It is my hope the court overturns precedents that protect abortion in that current case and restores states’ ability to prohibit abortion once again. Senate Bill 1555 is an important measure that prepares Oklahoma to act quickly to end abortion if, and when, the U.S. Supreme Court overturns precedent on abortion law,” Treat said.

The bill next moves to the Senate floor for consideration.

Senate Joint Resolution 37
Senate Joint Resolution 37 provides for a vote of the people on a constitutional amendment to prohibit the Oklahoma Supreme Court from reading into the Oklahoma Constitution a guaranteed right to an abortion.

“The U.S. Supreme Court mistakenly read into the federal constitution a guaranteed right to an abortion. Senate Joint Resolution 37, if approved by voters, keeps the Oklahoma Supreme Court from making that same mistake. This resolution would stop the Oklahoma Supreme Court from inventing out of whole cloth a right to an abortion in the state constitution, and gives Oklahomans the ability to affirm their overwhelming support for protecting the sanctity of life,” Treat said.

The bill next moves to the Senate floor for consideration.