Tuesday, October 05, 2021

Trial Court Bars Some, Allows Other Oklahoma Abortion Restrictions

An Oklahoma state trial court judge yesterday, in a ruling from the bench in Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice v. O'Connor, (OK Dist. Ct., Oct. 4, 2021) (full text of complaint), issued a temporary restraining order barring enforcement of some of Oklahoma's new abortion restrictions, but denying a TRO as to other provisions. According to a press release from Center for Reproductive Rights:

The laws blocked by today’s ruling include: a total abortion ban declaring that providing abortion at any stage in pregnancy qualifies as “unprofessional conduct” by physicians; and a law banning abortion as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many people even know they are pregnant. The state conceded that these laws are unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade.

However the court refused to enjoin provisions that would require doctors performing abortions to be board-certified OB/GYNs; and various restrictions on medication abortions, including an admitting privilege requirement and and ultrasound requirement.