Hearing set on lawsuit attacking Oklahoma anti-abortion law

An Oklahoma law limiting access to drug-induced abortions was halted by a state judge as Republican-backed restrictions in other states remain blocked or bogged down in court.

The ruling came in a lawsuit challenging HB 2684, which was signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin in April 2014 and was set to take effect November 1.

It prohibited off-label uses of abortion-inducing drugs by requiring doctors to administer them only in accordance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration protocols. The law does not allow non-surgical procedures in which drugs are used to induce an abortion.

Autumn Katz and Zoe Levine of the Center for Reproductive Rights, Blake Patton of Walding & Patton, and Martha Hardwick of Hardwick Law Office represent Nova Health Systems d/b/a Reproductive Services-a non-profit reproductive health care facility in Tulsa-and the Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice-a non-profit membership organization dedicated to ensuring the availability of the full range of reproductive health care services to women throughout the state in this challenge. It’s time for Oklahoma politicians to take the hint and give up their relentless crusade against women and their doctors.

In striking down the law, Parrish said she was bound by a decision handed down by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2012. This more recent bill was rewritten to to overcome that objection.

A federal judge says an Oklahoma abortion law is unconstitutional. “It is disappointing to see a judge strike down this law which was written by the legislature to specifically comply with the Supreme Court’s guidance on this important issue”. One measure would have effectively banned the method in 2011.

The court building is across the street from the state Capitol.

This is the third time in the last four years that anti-choice Oklahoma lawmakers have passed legislation restricting patient’s access to medication abortion in the state.

“The Legislature has no rational basis for doing so, and that’s why (the judge) struck down the law”. It is prescribed along with a second drug, misoprostol. The FDA approved its use in 2000 through the first seven weeks of pregnancy. He said at least six women have died in the U.S. after being administered the drugs, justifying the state’s law requiring adherence to the FDA protocol.