Informed consent bill moves forward in Oklahoma Legislature

Thursday, April 28th 2005, 7:04 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Bills requiring so-called informed consent by women seeking abortions and parental notification before a minor could receive such a procedure were approved in the Legislature.

The bills incorporate the "Laci and Conner Peterson" law, which allows the prosecution of anyone who causes the death of an unborn child during the commission of a crime.

The state Senate voted 44-to-4 Wednesday for the bill by Comanche state Senator Daisy Lawler and Oklahoma City state Representative Rebecca Hamilton.

A provision of the bill would require that women be given information about fetal development, the potential consequences of an abortion and the gestational age of the unborn child before the procedure could be performed.

The bill passed by the state House started in the state Senate and was heavily amended to incorporate features of earlier legislation that stalled in a state Senate committee.