Historic Pro-Life Legislation Signed Into Law

OKLAHOMA CITY — A Catholic lawmaker said passage of major pro-life legislation marks a turning point in the Oklahoma Legislature. The legislation, which requires parental notification before a minor can have an abortion, was signed into law May 23 by Gov. Brad Henry.

“There’s always been bipartisan support for pro-life legislation, but a handful of pro-choice Democrats in the Senate have been able to block progress for years,” said Rep. Odilia Dank. “We’ve finally broken their death-grip on the lives of Oklahoma’s unborn children.”

Dank, a member of Christ the King Parish in Oklahoma City, said she has fought for a parental notification law throughout her 12-year legislative career.

“I’ve been working to enact a parental consent law every year since I was first elected 12 years ago,” Dank said. “It’s very gratifying to see this legislation finally go to the governor.”

Although seven pro-life bills were killed in the state Senate earlier this year, pro-life advocates did not give up and created a second, omnibus pro-life bill that was approved by both chambers of the Legislature.

The new law contains these elements:

*       Parental Notification for Minors to Undergo an Abortion: The law requires that doctors secure the written, informed consent of a parent of a minor before performing an abortion.  The law includes an exception for cases of sexual abuse and includes a judicial bypass procedure that empowers a judge to permit the abortion when it is in the best interests of the minor.

*       Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act - Provides that a woman considering an abortion be informed that her child could experience pain during an abortion, if the child is 20 weeks or older. Rep. Kevin Calvey authored this.

*       Ultrasounds - Provides that a woman considering an abortion be given the option of seeing her baby through ultrasound.

*       Unborn Victims of Violence Act - Necessary to ensure that Oklahoma’s recognition of the unborn child as a separate victim applies uniformly across various homicide statutes.

*       Alternatives-to-Abortion Services Revolving Fund - The bill proposes giving money to nongovernmental agencies offering counseling and support services for pregnant women.

Once the pro-life language was inserted into Senate Bill 1742, it passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on an 84-5 vote on April 26 and then passed the state Senate on a 38-8 vote on May 18.

Dank noted that a teenager cannot obtain a tattoo, join the military, or even take an aspirin at school without parental consent.

“Clearly, given the severe consequences of the abortion decision, parents who have their child’s best interests at heart should be involved in this life-changing decision,” she said.

Shirley Cox, director of Social Action for Catholic Charities, said the new law would mean a great deal to the women of Oklahoma.

“The signing of this bill represents an important step in the pro-life movement, as women across the state are finally provided some necessary information critical to making an informed decision before entering into an abortion,” Cox said. “Many, many women report that had they known of the consequences of their abortion prior to the abortion, they would never have chosen to abort their child. This bill will ensure that women receive that information. Our hope is that the fully informed woman will recognize the dignity of all life and choose to save the life of the child.”

“Many thanks are in order to the people of Oklahoma who contacted their Legislators and the governor and voiced their support for the bill.”

Susan Lepak, associate director of the Archdiocesan Office of Family Life, said the new law would provide much needed to support to young people.

“ Most of the teenagers who have abortions without telling their parents do so out of peer pressure and shame,” Lepak said. “They do not want their parents to know that they had sex outside of marriage. Senate Bill 1742 will give parents the opportunity to speak with their teens and offer support, encouragement and practical help so that they do not have abortions they really don’t want.

 “In my experience of dealing with hundreds of post-abortive women and with the research that has been done, more than 80 percent of women who have abortions believe that they have no choice,” Lepak said.  “The new law will provide them with many resources of which they are unaware.  Although the Planned Parenthood spokesmen said that this “legislation is just going to harass and terrorize women,” the opposite is true.  Women will actually be empowered to make informed choices and healthy decisions when the full truth about fetal development, health risks and available resources is disclosed.”