Statement from Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee on Reproductive Services' Lawsuit

“It is striking that a pro-abortion organization based in New York believes they know what is best for Oklahomans and will go to the expense of filing suit over a bill that passed both legislative bodies by wide, bipartisan margins.

“The Left consistently claims that education and more information is always beneficial for our citizens. Now, we pass a bill which would provide more information for a woman contemplating the decision to end a life growing inside of her, and we hear them claim that more information is not beneficial in this case.

“We heard a Democrat Senator say today that HB 2780 would not prevent any abortions from occurring.

“Unfortunately for his argument, history and the plaintiffs themselves in this lawsuit refute that claim.

“In November, 2009, the director of the Planned Parenthood office in Bryan, Texas resigned her position after witnessing a pre-abortion ultrasound. She is now a pro-life advocate. Certainly, that ultrasound and her decision has resulted in fewer abortions in that location and nationwide.
“Further, in paragraph 37 of the Reproductive Services lawsuit, the plaintiff states clearly that the impact of this legislation will result in less medical supervision of their clients, and ultimately fewer abortions performed:

Requiring the physician to perform the ultrasound imaging himself or herself, or requiring that the ultrasound imaging be performed while the physician is on-site, would drastically reduce the number of abortions that Reproductive Services could perform. Reproductive Services would not be able to meet the demand for abortions from its patients and might not be able to remain in business.

“Because abortion is a billion dollar business, those promoting the termination of pre-born lives will stop at no expense to forestall or circumvent the will of the people through their elected officials.”