The Oklahoma legislature wraps up this week, and though a flurry of budget measures is in the queue, a vetoed abortion bill is hanging around.
Gov. Mary Fallin vetoed Senate Bill 1552 late last week, calling it vague and possibly unconstitutional. Sen. Nathan Dahm’s bill would make performing an abortion a felony for doctors and make it cause to strip them of their licenses. It contained an exception only for the life of a mother.
Dahm says he’s trying to talk to Fallin about her veto, even with lawmakers scrambling to fix the state budget before the session ends Friday.
"While funding all these agencies and entities are a top priority, so is what we can do to protect states' rights, to protect the rights of individuals — especially those most vulnerable, the lifes [sic] of the unborn."
If meeting with Fallin doesn’t work, Dahm hasn’t ruled out a veto override, even with budget measures yet to be heard. The override would start in the Senate.
"We would need 32 votes for that, with 33 people voting in favor of the bill. On the House side, we would need 68 votes. There were 59 that voted in favor on the House side, but there was over 30, I believe, House members that were absent at that point in time because it was so late in that evening," Dahm said. "So, we are considering that as an option, absolutely. We have up until Friday.
Dahm says since Fallin’s veto, he’s seen reports a new clinic will open in the state.
"We could've saved more lives and limited abortion in the state, and now it looks, with that veto, that, that actually will expand abortions," Dahm said.
Dahm said he’ll meet with Fallin any time this week to discuss the bill.
