Another Hurdle..another battle

Written by: Jack Boyte on May 16, 2007 5:42 PM EDT

From Wanda Stapleton:

As expected, SB-139 (a slightly cleaned-up version of SB-714) passed the Senate this afternoon. The faithful fourteen below voted against the bill (34 voted for it). The fourteen are courageous and compassionate.

Adelson, Ballenger, Bass, Crutchfield, Eason McIntyre, Connie Johnson, Lerblance, Morgan, Rabon, Rice, Sparks, Sweeden, Wilson, Wyrick.

The three who switched sides to vote “yes” were Laster, Leftwich, Riley. Their votes wouldn’t have helped. We needed 25 votes to pass the bill. Votes are just not there. The bill is now in Governor Henry’s hands. You can contact him through his web site:  www.governor.state.ok.us.

Mary Francis provides this helpful language for requesting the Governor to veto SB-139

 “Some mothers would still be forced to carry to full term a child – even though it was a medical certainty that the child could not live outside the womb. Nothing has changed in the cases of anencephaly, lethal neonatal dwarfism, Meckel’s Syndrome and other tragic afflictions.  Although these do not occur often, most of those cases are referred to state hospitals for care – especially when the mother is forced to rely on Medicaid for health care. Senate Bill 139 would still deny care at state hospitals in those cases. Without that medical advice it is clear that the lack of an exception in cases of a non-viable fetus would force some women to carry a child to term, only to watch it die.”

My added thoughts: Doctors could no longer refer dangerous pregnancies to specialists at the OU Health Sciences Center. In fact the schools accreditation might be in jeopardy because of this backward bill if it becomes law.

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Location: OK 74135