This week, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an order banning all non-essential medical procedures during the coronavirus crisis to conserve on medical resources. Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter has promised he will vigorously enforce the order.
As LifeNews.com reported, Governor Stitt clarified that elective abortions are included in his executive order postponing elective surgeries until April 7 to conserve medical resources to combat the coronavirus.
“We must ensure that our health care professionals, first responders and medical facilities have all of the resources they need to combat COVID-19,” Stitt said in the release. “I am committed to doing whatever necessary to protect those who are on the front lines fighting against this virus.”
Whether abortion businesses in the state will stop killing babies in abortions is another question as is whether the state government would enforce the order. Yesterday, they filed a lawsuit seeking to continue killing babies in abortions.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights and Dechert LLP on Monday asked a federal judge to immediately block Stitt’s order.
Stitt and Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter are named in the lawsuit. They are asking for a judge to issue a preliminary injunction, and ultimately, a permanent injunction to prevent the abortion ban from being enforced.
Stitt’s abortion ban is a “clear abuse of power” and an attempt to skirt the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade, said Nancy Northrup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights.
In a statement, Hunter said his office will vigorously defend Stitt’s executive order. He also insinuated the lawsuit brought by abortions rights groups could harm Oklahomans by draining the state’s medical and legal resources away from emergency efforts.
ACTION ALERT: Thank Governor Stitt for ordering the closure of abortion centers and ask him to enforce the order.
Earlier this week, the governor of Tennessee made the same clarification.
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On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee issued an order for all medical facilities to stop any non-essential medical care in order to preserve medical supplies to fight the coronavirus. On Thursday, the governor said that order applies to abortion centers.
The governor of West Virginia has also banned abortions during the health crisis.
In Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily halted a lower court ruling that stopped Texas officials from banning abortions to help conserve medical resources to combat the coronavirus.
The federal appellate court ruling overturns a judge’s temporary restraining order authorizing Texas abortion clinics to keep killing babies in abortions instead of obeying the governor’s order to halt non-essential medical procedures. Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s order helps support hospitals and medical clinics that need additional medical gear and supplies to treat patients with the coronavirus.
As LifeNews.com reported, a federal judge in Texas with a long history of siding with abortion advocates ruled today that Texas abortion centers can defy the governor’s order to stop non-essential medical procedures instead of helping coronavirus patients by conserving medical resources during the pandemic.
But the Fifth Circuit disagreed, saying the abortion ban could continue while the case moves forward. In the three-judge panel, Judges Jennifer Walker Elrod and Stuart Kyle Duncan ruled to block the temporary restraining order, and Judge James Dennis dissented. Dennis claimed that not allowing abortion clinics to kill babies would make it so “irreparable harm would flow from allowing the Executive Order to prohibit abortions during this critical time.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton praised the decision.
“The temporary stay ordered this afternoon justly prioritizes supplies and personal protective equipment for the medical professionals in need,” he said in a statement.
Although the situation is fluid, here are the latest reports from LifeNews.com on the status of abortion and orders to stop non-essential medical services:
States Attempting to Protect Babies From Abortion
Texas: Abortion centers are temporarily closed after Governor Greg Abbott’s order. But Texas abortion businesses have sued the state to reopen. Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit as well to do abortions and ignore the order. A federal judge blocked the order and allowed abortion centers to keep killing babies but a federal appeals court reinstated the order.
Maryland: Abortion centers are included in the abortion order to stop non-essential procedures but they have been caught violating the order.
Louisiana: Abortion centers are included in the order to close and all three closed initially but at least one abortion center has been caught doing abortions.
Ohio: Abortion centers are included in the order to close but they are refusing to close. The health department is now investigating those violations. Meanwhile, a judge has blocked the state’s order banning abortions.
Mississippi: Abortion centers are included in the order and the state’s sole abortion business has closed.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Gov Orders Abortion Businesses to Close, Killing Babies is Not “Essential” Medical Care
Kentucky: Attorney General Asks Health Department to Shut Down Abortion Clinics to Combat Coronavirus
Indiana: Governor Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus
Alabama: Alabama stopped abortions under its non-essential order until April 13th but a judge ruled the state can’t infringe on the so-called “right” to abortion.
West Virginia: Gov Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus.
States Not Protecting Babies From Abortion
New York: New York has issued an order to stop non-essential health services but is not applying it to abortion centers. New York Attorney General: Coronavirus Crisis is No Reason to Stop Killing Babies in Abortions. NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio has threatened to permanently close churches while letting abortion centers stay open.
Minnesota: Minnesota Issues Shelter at Home Order But People Can Still Go Kill Their Babies in Abortions
New Mexico: New Mexico Shuts Down Non-Essential Health Care, But Allows Abortion Clinics to Keep Killing Babies
New Jersey: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Michigan: Governor Whitmer has stopped non-essential medical surgeries but allowed abortion clinics to keep killing babies.
North Carolina: Pro-life groups have called on the governor to stop abortions during the coronavirus crisis.
Washington: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
California: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded. But 11 Planned Parenthood abortion centers have voluntarily closed.
Pennsylvania: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Maine: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Shuts Down Pregnancy Center Over Coronavirus, Lets Abortion Clinics Stay Open
Massachusetts: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
International
Canada Has Banned Every Other Elective Surgery, But People Can Still Kill Babies in Abortions
