Abortion

Egg-as-Person Bill Dies in Oklahoma House of Representatives

A Republican caucus has decided to keep the Oklahoma personhood measure from being heard.

Senate Bill 1433, Oklahoma’s legislative attempt to define life as beginning at conception, has been stalled in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and will not come to a vote this session.

After passing the Senate earlier this year, the bill was put on the House agenda for consideration yesterday. Proponents and opponents alike filled the House Gallery and after a tense day at the capitol, the bill still had not been heard.

House Speaker Kris Steele today issued the following statement on Senate Bill 1433, the personhood bill: 

“The House Republican Caucus voted today not to hear the personhood bill on the House floor. This decision was not made unilaterally, but as a caucus collectively. I accept the will of our caucus. The fact is this bill sends a statement Oklahoma has already made. We’re already perhaps the most pro-life state in this country, having passed at least 30 various pro-life measures in the past eight years alone. You will not find a bigger friend of the unborn than this Legislature, but this bill would not have any substantive policy effect.”

While this is a major victory for women in Oklahoma, the fight for reproductive choice is not nearly over. Personhood Oklahoma is still working on a petition to get the question of personhood included on the November ballot.