Oklahoma Bill Regarding Physician Licensure and Abortion (SB 732)

SB 732 would amend current laws regarding physician licensing and abortion regulations.

The bill would expand the definition of “unprofessional conduct” to include the performance of an abortion as defined by Section 1-730 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes:

[…]the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device intentionally to terminate the pregnancy of a female known to be pregnant with an intention other than to increase the probability of a live birth, to preserve the life or health of the child after live birth, to remove an ectopic pregnancy, or to remove a dead unborn child who died as the result of a spontaneous miscarriage, accidental trauma, or a criminal assault on the pregnant female or her unborn child.

The bill would allow the State Board of Osteopathic Examiners to refuse to issue or reinstate or to suspend or revoke any license issued or reinstated by the Board upon proof that the applicant or holder of such a license has performed such an abortion as stated above.

The bill would amend Section 63-1-731 to prohibit any person from performing or inducing an abortion upon a pregnant patient unless that person is a physician licensed to practice medicine in the State of Oklahoma and the performing or inducing of an abortion is necessary to preserve the life of the patient.

Any person violating this section who is not a physician licensed to practice medicine in Oklahoma would be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for one to three years in the State Penitentiary.

Any physician participating in the performance of an abortion for any purpose other than to preserve the life of the patient would be prohibited from obtaining or renewing a license to practice medicine in Oklahoma.

The State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision would be required to revoke the license of an allopathic physician performing an abortion in Oklahoma for any purpose other than to preserve the life of the patient. The State Board of Osteopathic Examiners would revoke the license of an osteopathic physician performing an abortion for any purpose other than to preserve the life of the patient.

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