Oklahoma Senators Announce Trigger Ban Bill
On Thursday Oklahoma Senators announced a Senate bill, SB 195, will be used as a “trigger ban.” If SCOTUS overturns or chips away at Roe v. Wade, this extreme measure would criminalize abortion, which is a core component of reproductive health care. With abortion access already strained, this measure would put safe abortion out of reach for Oklahomans.
Conservative advocates have been carrying out a long-term strategy to overturn Roe for years, proposing blatantly unconstitutional abortion bans and packing the courts with opponents of reproductive rights—in hopes that these bans will be litigated and reach the highest court in the land when the makeup of the Court swings in their favor.
Some of Oklahoma’s neighbors have proposed or passed similar laws, so in the event Roe falls, access will not be as simple as driving to a bordering state. Just because it would not take effect now doesn’t make any of the consequences less devastating. Extremist politicians won’t force choices on Oklahomans now or ever because we are going to give them one hell of a fight!
OCRJ members will be closely following this bill, so to stay updated subscribe to our email list and social media pages by searching @OKrepro. Right now, you can help in four ways:
1) Call each individual committee member and tell them to vote no.
· You may only reach the Legislative Assistants, but they will pass your message along. Here are some tips on talking to LA’s and Legislators.
· Here’s a sample script: Hi, I’m calling for <Senator Name>. My name is <NAME> and I'm contacting you to ask that you vote no on SB 195, scheduled for a vote on Monday in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. SB 195 would ban abortion in Oklahoma in the event that Roe v Wade is struck down and I'm strongly opposed to the measure. Please vote no on SB 195 Monday afternoon in the HHS Committee. Thank you.
· Senate Health and Human Services contact information:
Senator Jason Smalley, Chair, District 28, Republican, Room 420, 405.521.5547, smalley@oksenate.gov
Senator McCortney, Vice Chair, District 13, Republican, Room 528B, 405.521.5541, mccortney@oksenate.gov
Senator Bill Coleman, District 10, Republican, Room 432, 405.521.5581, bill.coleman@oksenate.gov
Senator Julie Daniels, District 29, Republican, Room 415, 405.521.5634, daniels@oksenate.gov
Senator Carri Hicks, District 40, Democrat, Room 515B, 405.521.5543, carri.hicks@oksenate.gov
Senator Allison Ikley-Freeman, District 37, Democrat, Room 524, 405.521.5600, ikley-freeman@oksenate.gov
Senator Adam Pugh, District 41, Republican, Room 528A, 405.521.5622, pugh@oksenate.gov
Senator Paul Rosino, District 45, Republican, Room 235, 405.521.5618, rosino@oksenate.gov
Senator Paul Scott, District 43, Republican, Room ???, 405.521.5522, paul.scott@oksenate.gov
Senator Joseph Silk, District 5, Republican, Room 416, 405.521.5614, silk@oksenate.gov
Senator Frank Simpson, District 14, Republican, Room 527, 405.521.5607, simpson@oksenate.gov
Senator Rob Standridge, District 15, Republican, Room 418, 405.521.5535, standridge@oksenate.gov
Senator George Young, District 48, Democrat, Room 518, 405.521.5580, george.young@oksenate.gov
2) Email the full committee and ask that they vote no.
· It’s best to speak from the heart, but if you’d like some guidance use this sample script: Dear HHS Committee, My name is <NAME> and I'm contacting you to ask that you vote no on SB 195, scheduled for a vote on Monday in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. SB 195 would ban abortion in Oklahoma in the event that Roe v Wade is struck down and I'm strongly opposed to the measure. Regardless of how you may personally feel about abortion, access is incredibly important to women's health and equality. Please consider the disastrous consequences: abortion will exist with or without Roe, but legal access keeps women safe. Please vote no on SB 195 Monday afternoon in the HHS Committee.
· Here is a copy/pastable block of the committee members email addresses: smalley@oksenate.gov, mccortney@oksenate.gov, bill.coleman@oksenate.gov, daniels@oksenate.gov, carri.hicks@oksenate.gov, ikley-freeman@oksenate.gov, pugh@oksenate.gov, rosino@oksenate.gov, paul.scott@oksenate.gov, silk@oksenate.gov, simpson@oksenate.gov, standridge@oksenate.gov, george.young@oksenate.gov
3) Visit committee member offices before the committee meeting Monday afternoon and/or attend the committee hearing.
· If you’re able, plan ahead to spend time at the capitol Monday. The meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Oklahoma Capitol in room 535. If you want to meet up with OCRJ volunteers, message us here or meet outside room 535 between 1-1:30 p.m.
4) Tell everyone you know to take action! Blasting this information out over social media, tell your friends and family how they can help, and bring more volunteers into the fight!
· Use #noSB195 on social media, find the committee members social media pages and post your messages there, send your friends the list of committee members and sample script, and reach out to OCRJ here if you want to get more involved!
Together we are powerful, so thank you for fighting!