“Life begins at conception and we have a responsibility as human beings to do everything possible to protect the life of that baby and that of the mother,” the governor said in a statement.
The NGO Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) responded in a statement that “no one should be forced to continue a pregnancy against their will” and warned that prohibiting abortion endangers women, who have to terminate their pregnancy outside the health system.
The law, approved by both houses of the state, prohibits any abortion from fertilization, except when the life of the mother is in danger, or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.
In addition, following the line of the controversial law against abortion approved last year in Texas, the new norm allows citizens to denounce any company or person that assists a woman in the interruption of her pregnancy.
Gov. Stitt, who is seeking re-election in next November’s midterm elections, has vowed to sign any law passed by the Oklahoma legislature against abortion.
Oklahoma already has a law in place that, like Texas, prohibits abortions from the first six weeks of pregnancy.
In addition, another rule signed by the governor in April and which should take effect this summer, prohibits any interruption of pregnancy except to save the life of the mother.