Roundup: Oklahoma’s Abortion Reporting Law “Not About Women”

May 12, 2010, 9:58am

Beth Saunders

A revived anti-choice Oklahoma bill that would require women to report their life story is, apparently, not about women at all.

Women in Oklahoma might be surprised to learn that a bill that would require them to report their “marital status, age, race, education, number of live births, number of miscarriages, number of induced abortions, type of abortion and reason for the abortion” is, apparently, not about them at all.

“This is not about women,” said Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City.

“It is about children in the womb deserving a life that got created. It is not about harassing women.”

Victims of rape or incest are not exempt from the reporting requirements.

Does this sound familiar? That’s because it was intended to become law last November, but Oklahoma courts struck down the measure as unconstitutional because the bill in which it was included addressed more than one issue at a time. The new, singularly focused Statistical Abortion Reporting Act passed the Oklahoma House on Monday and the Senate yesterday.

While some legislators are seemingly embarrassed about the state’s radical anti-choice laws,

Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City, said such legislation makes the rest of the country joke about Oklahoma.

“This goes too far,” she said. “Do we keep wanting to make national news by going too far in how we treat women?”

others seem to think Oklahoma is not quite at the level of disgrace. (What’s the step just above disgraceful? Shameful?)

The bill’s Senate author, Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, said, “To say Oklahoma is the disgrace of the nation, I think might be pushing the rhetoric a little bit too far.”

The next step for the “not about women” reporting bill will be Governor Brad Henry’s desk. He vetoed the two most recent abortion bills, but the objections were overturned by the legislature.

Mini-roundup: Rep. Lois Capps (D-NY) introduces the Global MOMS Act, which calls for developing a strategy to reduce maternal and infant mortality and improve the health of moms and babies in developing nations. Joining her at the press was supermodel turned documentary filmmaker, Christy Turlington.

May 11

Abortion bill begs veto – MiamiHerald.com

Sessions: Kagan Won’t Shift Court on Abortion – CBS News

Abortion opponents to present petition to Beach council tonight – The Virginian-Pilot

McInnis, once clearly pro-choice, embraces anti-abortion personhood – The Colorado Independent

Elena Kagan Abortion Memo Offers New Look at Nominee – ABC News

Scientists to test ultrasound as a male contraceptive – BBC News

As pill turns 50, a push within Islam for family planning – Religion News Service

Kennedy, the Pill and Conservatives for Contraception – Huffington Post (blog)

World Bank boosts focus on reproductive health – Reuters

Judge to rule if bite from HIV-positive man counts as bioterrorism – USA Today

South African police bust HIV/AIDS pyramid scheme – Reuters