Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) vetoed a bill on Friday evening that called for a criminalization of abortions in the state, revoking the medical license of doctors engaged in the procedure, and making the procedure punishable by up to three years in jail.
Fallin is a conservative Republican with a history of supporting restrictions on abortions. She is considered a potential running mate to presumptive GOP presidential candidate, Donald Trump.
“I would be very honored if I were to receive a call saying ‘I need you to help make America great again,’” Fallin said in a statement to CNN earlier this month.
In her statement concerning the veto of SB 1552, Fallin said that she felt the bill was “so ambiguous and so vague that doctors cannot be certain what medical circumstances would be considered ‘necessary to preserve the life of the mother.’”
She added that the bill could not survive constitutional challenges and legal fees which would surely arise if it became law, since the Supreme Court guarantees women the right to an abortion until the fetus is viable outside of the womb.
Senator Nathan Dahm, SB 1552’s sponsor, told The New York Times that he would relish the opportunity to fight for the bill in a court of law. Ultimately, Dahm hopes that such a case might lead to an overturning of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that upheld women’s right to have abortions.
“We were very surprised because [Fallin] has claimed to be pro-life, but to veto the most pro-life piece of legislation to pass her desk speaks differently than the rest of her record,” Dahm told The Washington Times.
There has been discussion concerning the legislature’s possibility of pursuing a veto override.
“I think people are starting to see that she may not be making the best decisions, so maybe a veto override would be better than leaving the decision solely up to her,” Dahm said.
SB 1552 passed in the Senate with a 33-to-12 vote, but it is questionable whether or not the House would have enough votes to override the veto since one third of the chamber was not present for the first vote.
Conservatives are outraged that the previously outspoken pro-life governor vetoed the bill and Dahm is not the only one willing to defend the bill in a court of law.
“This is a despicable betrayal of her word and of innocent children whose lives will be cut short because of her cowardly act,” said Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a Florida-based evangelical legal group. “I encourage the Oklahoma legislators to veto the governor and Liberty Counsel stands ready to defend this bill.”
