Oklahoma Abortion Law: Details To Be Publicly Posted Online

A new Oklahoma law requires physicians to disclose detailed information on women's abortions to the State's Department Of Health, which will then post the collected data on a public website. The controversial measure comes into effect on November 1 and will cost $281,285 to implement, $256,285 each subsequent year to maintain.

Oklahoma women undergoing abortion procedures will be legally forced to reveal:

1) Date of abortion
2) County in which abortion is performed
3) Age of mother
4) Marital status of mother
5) Race of mother
6) Years of education of mother
7) State or foreign country of residence of mother
8) Total number of previous pregnancies of the mother

Proponents of the legislation claim that women should not be concerned over their privacy since no names or "personal information" will be reported. This defense is questionable. Feminists For Choice argues, "In reviewing the actual text of the law, the first 8 questions that will be asked and reported could easily be used to identify any member of a smaller community."

The Center For Reproductive Rights, former state Rep. Wanda Jo Stapleton (D-Okla.), and Okla. resident Lora Joyce David have filed a lawsuit to prevent this contentious abortion bill from going into effect, on the grounds that it violates the state's constitution.

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Comments

[zanezarecki]

12:32 AM on 11/10/2009

This law is absolutely ridiculous. Being from Oklahoma, I am ashamed to be associated with this crazy law. In a small town, let's say under 1000 people where everyone knows everyone else, people are going to know who got the abortion and that person will probably come under a lot of criticism. I consider myself pro-choice, but I am completely against this because it releases a woman's information. It doesn't just take a name for someone's identity to be released.

[Artemis34]

10:20 AM on 10/21/2009

UPDATE:

http://www.womensenews.org
"Okla. Abortion Publicity Law Blocked by Court
By Susan Elan
Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Enforcement of an Oklahoma law that will publicize an unprecedented amount of personal information about women who undergo abortions has been delayed by at least one month, to Dec. 4, as part of a legal challenge.

Wanda Jo Stapleton(WOMENSENEWS)--An Oklahoma law mandating that detailed information about patients who have abortions be published on a state Web site was blocked by legal action on Monday.

The law was scheduled to take effect Nov. 1.

To challenge the state constitutionality of the law, the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Oklahoma women...."

[TheSarge]

04:02 PM on 10/20/2009

This is an outstanding idea!

[brahdog]

01:33 PM on 11/01/2009

how do you figure

[SUSANINCOLUMBIA]

08:20 AM on 10/20/2009

This is an absolute outrage, and I hope someone in Oklahoma launches litigation to challenge this law. There is no rational basis whatsoever for this governmental action which violates the fundamental right of privacy in this situation.

[HitnMyths]

02:05 AM on 10/11/2009

What were the arguments FOR this law? What was the public need, the purpose served by this
registry? God, these people are SO EVIL.

[Tiger99]

06:29 AM on 10/11/2009

In 2002 and 2003, 823 women in Colorado
participated in a special survey of African
American/Black women who had
recently given birth. The survey, called the Pregnancy
Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), is part
of an ongoing study conducted by the Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All
African American/Black women who gave birth
between July and December of 2002 were sent the
survey...

Wow how evil can a State be that would take a persons vital health records and single them out by Race/Gender... Pretty damn evil I say...

http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/prams/smallreport2_05bbWeb.pdf

[oneeleven]

05:45 PM on 10/11/2009

I just read the article again trying to figure that out and it just simply isn't justified. So discouraging that some new angle to subjugate women never ends.

[rmonroe]

07:30 PM on 10/10/2009

backwards idiots

[Tiger99]

10:04 AM on 10/11/2009

Every heard of clean up your own backyard before you clean up mine? I agree Backward idiots...

Washington State Law-Chapter 246-490 WAC-
246-490-100
Reporting of pregnancy terminations.
Each hospital and facility where lawful induced abortions are performed during the first, second, or third trimester of pregnancy shall, on forms prescribed and supplied by the secretary, report to the department during the following month the number and dates of induced abortions performed during the previous month, giving for each abortion the age of the patient, geographic location of patient's residence, patient's previous pregnancy history, the duration of the pregnancy, the method of abortion, any complications, such as perforations, infections, and incomplete evacuations, the name of the physician or physicians performing or participating in the abortion and such other relevant information as may be required by the secretary. All physicians performing abortions in nonapproved facilities when the physician has determined that termination of pregnancy was immediately necessary to the meet a medical emergency, shall also report in the same manner, and shall additionally provide a clear and detailed statement of the facts upon which he or she based his or her judgment of medical emergency.

http://www.doh.wa.gov/EHSPHL/CHS/chs-data/abortion/ViewDown.htm

[Artemis34]

04:22 PM on 10/11/2009

Do they then post it on the internet?

[snowburn14]

12:00 AM on 10/10/2009

I'd like to see someone propose a bill in response that would require similar information be posted online regarding any man prescribed Viagra or similar medication. Something tells me THAT would get shot down as an invasion of privacy...

[Laserbeam]

01:38 PM on 10/16/2009

Agreed. I think some of the information that should be included should be things like (1) what were the circumstances the last time you were unable to perform? (2) what did you try doing to remedy that? (3) were you aware that such activity is illegal in seven states, including this one?

OK, #3 was a joke. But you get the idea!

[Angela Fox Smith]

12:35 PM on 12/18/2009

I totally agree. This law is discriminatory toward women and an invasion of privacy. If such information is gathered, why not also ask the same intrusive questions of the biological fathers of the pregnancies and post it online as well? (I can already hear the excuses for why it can't be done.) I firmly believe a person's personal information is not open for all to use for whatever excuse and no one's rights should be so disregarded as is being done in this circumstance. In less populated areas, it would be fairly easy for someone to analyze the information and use it against the person they believe had the abortion, or against a person who may have a similar life situation to someone on the list.

[K M D]

07:24 PM on 10/09/2009

...and thousands of years later, she gazed down upon the women of Earth with a tired, frustrated sigh, and muttered...."For crying out loud, it was just ONE FREAKING APPLE....."

[K M D]

07:19 PM on 10/09/2009

So....this is Scarlet Letter 2.0?!

Good grief, this is gross...this is just unbelievabe. It makes me very sad, and troubled.

[Twillied]

05:43 PM on 10/09/2009

Heinously ignorant.

[prinshar139]

05:10 PM on 10/09/2009

I speak as a "moderate pro-lifer" if I may use that term, and I am positively infuriated by this law among other over-reaching, inappropriate laws regarding the issue of abortion in Oklahoma. To post medical information about such a stigmatized and private matter on the internet is absolutely appalling. Besides the obvious fact that women could be identified using the information which will be posted, this approach to discouraging abortions is basically just another witch hunt perpetrated by power-hungry religious zealots. When an American legislative body wields shame as a control tactic against citizens and residents whose rights and liberties it is charged to protect, something has gone horribly awry in the political system. Let us hope the Oklahoma branch of Justice will swiftly correct this egregious error.

[FreelanceMinion]

03:25 PM on 10/09/2009

Even if they claim they won't post identifying info, by posting that it seems they are still violating federal patient non-disclosure laws.

[kaykaythere]

12:53 PM on 10/09/2009

Will the following information regarding the FATHERS also be posted right along side

1) Date of sexual intercourse
2) County in which intercourse was performed
3) Age of FATHER
4) Marital status of FATHER
5) Race of FATHER
6) Years of education of FATHER
7) State or foreign country of residence of FATHER
8) Total number of previous pregnancies made by the FATHER

Of course MEN want to legislate FEMALE behavior, but if their information was required right along side for all to see this law would have never passed.


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/08/oklahoma-abortion-law-det_n_313779.html

[K M D]

07:20 PM on 10/09/2009

You know of course it won't..... :(

[MDinOK]

10:26 AM on 10/09/2009

The Repubs in Ok couldn't wait to take back congress and make up laws that make us look like we are living in 1899. This new law serves no purpose other than to show people that OK is proud to be a red state and is the buckle of the Bible belt. But don't believe for 1 second that Oklahoma is a Christian state; we have a few want-to-be called Christians here but that's about it.

[K M D]

07:22 PM on 10/09/2009

...and yet, those SAME people who think this sickening legislation is a good idea, are the same exact pack that inevitably whine and cry about "guvverment is stayin' outta our bizness" the moment something socially BENEFICIAL is trotted out.

[Artemis34]

10:14 AM on 10/09/2009

Romans 13: 1-7

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which god has established. The authorities that exist have been established by G-d. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what god has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. "

http://www.evilbible.com/god%27s%20not%20pro-life.htm
"Clearly it is the job of Christians to obey the laws, and the laws of this country clearly state that abortion is legal. So too should Christians respect and honor that law. G-d commands them to NOT disobey, which entails attempting to get the law overturned. If G-d wanted abortion to be illegal he wouldn’t have appointed authorities to make it legal."

[kaykaythere]

12:57 PM on 10/09/2009

But if I am not a Christian, WHY should I have to obey the laws of your little black book?? And by the way - the laws of this country allow abortion - SO FU

[Artemis34]

02:06 PM on 10/09/2009

Agreed. We're supposed to have separations of Church and state.

OK should not be trying to legislate from Bible.

But even if it were okay to legislate form the Bible, they'd still be wrong according to their own Bible. That is my point.

This "law" is complete B.S.

[Laserbeam]

01:39 PM on 10/16/2009

Believe you misunderstood what Artemis was saying - you are on the same side (and I am with you, too!).

[SueInCA]

01:12 PM on 10/09/2009

So you agree the state law should be overturned?

[Artemis34]

02:08 PM on 10/09/2009

Yes, of course.

It is wrong at the federal level.

If they [OK conservative lawmakers] say they have to obey the Bible, then they still have to honor federal law according to their own Bible.

I doubt this "law" could stand any challenge.