Oklahoma Governor Stitt signs abortion pill bill into law
Caroline MolloyOn Friday, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed into law a new abortion pill bill creating a new felony based on the use of legal medication.
HB 1168 cracks down on those distributing abortion-inducing pills such as mifepristone, misoprostol, or similar drugs without a prescription. It essentially creates a felony punishment of up to 10 years in prison for delivering medications like mifepristone and methotrexate.
Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader (R-Piedmont), the primary House author of HB 1168, said, “This bill will save lives, not just unborn children, but mothers who have at times been coerced or deceived into taking these dangerous abortion-inducing drugs with no medical oversight or care,” she said.
Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, who has championed the bill since 2025, cited a study that said 4,130 abortion pills were trafficked into Oklahoma last year. Millions of pills have been trafficked nationwide, he said.
Here is what the authors say is in the measures .
- Having an abortion pill that wasn’t prescribed to you can now be considered a trafficking charge, rather than unlawful possession, which would be the case for most prescription drugs under specific weight thresholds.
- Anyone who violates HB 1168 and is convicted of trafficking or attempting to traffic abortion pills could face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $100,000.
- This measure does not limit or prohibit the sale of contraceptives, and it would not impact couples undergoing IVF treatment. Nor does the legislation affect women experiencing miscarriages and those who may be legally prescribed pharmaceutical drugs as part of that process.
- Additionally, HB 1168 does not apply to pharmacists, drug manufacturers, or distributors who legally possess, sell, or distribute pharmaceuticals intended for lawful medical purposes.
