Okla. Attorney General To Appeal Ruling Striking Down Ultrasound Law

April 3, 2012 — Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt (R) plans to appeal a judge's ruling last week that struck down a state law requiring a woman seeking abortion care to first view an ultrasound image of the fetus and listen to a detailed description of it, KJRH reports (KJRH, 3/31).

Oklahoma County District Judge Brian Dixon on March 28 ruled that the law is unconstitutional because it only applies to abortion and not other medical procedures.

The law was passed in April 2010 after the state Legislature overrode a veto by then-Gov. Brad Henry (D). A temporary injunction was granted in May 2010 to block enforcement of the law after the Center for Reproductive Rights challenged its constitutionality (Women's Health Policy Report, 3/29).

Pruitt in a statement said the legislation "is about presenting abortion accurately with full information about the outcome." Diane Clay, a spokesperson for Pruitt, said the case will be appealed directly to the state Supreme Court, which can decide to hear the case or send it to the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals (Allen, The Oklahoman, 3/31).