Following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning federal abortion protections, state legislatures have introduced unprecedented measures targeting reproductive rights. Recent proposals in Missouri and Oklahoma aim to criminalize abortion access, raising alarms about surveillance and prosecution.
In Missouri, House Bill 3016 seeks to establish a state-managed database of pregnant women flagged as "at risk" for abortion, linking them with adoption agencies. Critics warn this could enable government tracking.
"This registry undermines privacy and normalizes monitoring women's healthcare choices,"argued Planned Parenthood advocate Sarah Thompson during hearings.
Oklahoma's Senate Bill 1290, defeated this week, sought murder charges—including death penalty eligibility—for individuals terminating pregnancies. Sponsor Sen. Dusty Deevers argued it closes a "loophole allowing unchecked pill shipments." Opponents countered that such laws risk criminalizing miscarriages: "Imagine grieving mothers facing jail time after pregnancy loss," testified OB-GYN Dr. Emily Sanchez.
Key debates include:
- Telemedicine abortion access via cross-state prescriptions
- $30M annual costs for Missouri's proposed registry system
- Potential misuse of health data in criminal investigations
Major anti-abortion groups uniformly oppose these bills, fearing backlash. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America stated:
"Women are victims of abortion coercion. Penalizing them contradicts our mission."
With similar bills failing in North Dakota and Idaho, analysts predict few will advance. However, advocates warn these efforts signal growing attempts to expand abortion criminalization post-Roe. As Wyoming provider Katie Knutter noted: "Patients now fear routine healthcare due to surveillance myths."
