For Immediate Release: March 29, 2012
Sen. Constance N. Johnson
Johnson says court ruling a victory for women’s rights
Sen. Constance
N. Johnson says Wednesday’s ruling by Oklahoma County
District Judge Bryan Dixon is a victory for women’s rights.
The judge ruled that a 2010 law requiring women to have ultrasounds
before having abortions is unconstitutional.
“This was a highly contentious bill when it went through
the legislature. I continue to commend former Gov. Brad Henry’s
wisdom in vetoing this measure and am still shocked by the Republican
legislative majority’s willingness to override his veto,”
said Johnson, D-Oklahoma County. “The court’s ruling
represents a victory for women and their rights to make decisions
about their bodies without interference from the government. This
ruling underscores and encourages the efforts of legislators,
like myself, who support and celebrate women, and who are striving
to maintain women’s status and rights.”
The Center for Reproductive Rights, a New York-based abortion
rights group, challenged the Ultrasound Act on behalf of Nova
Health Systems, which operates Reproductive Services of Tulsa
and the law has been blocked by a temporary injunction since May
2010.
“As a legislator who has opposed the last six years of continual
assaults by the legislative majority on women's reproductive health
choices, I and others have always held out hope that the courts
would return us to some semblance of balance and justice for Oklahoma
women. Of the many steps backward that we've taken in recent years,
this is one step forward, in the right direction,” said
Johnson.
Johnson pointed out that money spent by the state defending the
outrageous law could have been better used for fundamental state
services.
“Today’s ruling further illuminates the extent to
which the legislature will go to force its will upon the women
of Oklahoma, even when such proposals are clearly unconstitutional,”
said Johnson. “The amount of money spent defending this
egregious, now defunct provision could have been better spent
on programs and services for those Oklahoma children—including
newborns up to age one and the children of incarcerated parents—who
are already here and struggling daily because of our state’s
policies.”
