OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill Tuesday mirroring a Texas law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The law now prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo, which experts say is roughly six weeks into a pregnancy — before most women know they are pregnant.
The bill is similar to a bill passed in Texas last year that led to a dramatic reduction in the number of abortions performed in that state and forced many women to go to Oklahoma and other surrounding states for the procedure.
Stitt tweeted photos of him signing Senate Bill 1503, also known as the "Oklahoma Heartbeat Act."
I am proud to sign SB 1503, the Oklahoma Heartbeat Act into law.
I want Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country because I represent all four million Oklahomans who overwhelmingly want to protect the unborn. pic.twitter.com/XQr7khRLRa
— Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) May 3, 2022
Stitt has maintained throughout his time in office that he'd sign any anti-abortion legislation that comes across his desk.
Stitt signing the bill follows news of the U.S. Supreme Court investigating a leak of an opinion draft that suggested the court was preparing to overrule the landmark Roe v. Wade case.
Here is a look at the language of SB 1503:
