MSNBC’s Hallie Jackson regarded on Tuesday that “a pregnant person” in Texas may soon not be able to travel to Oklahoma to get an abortion because that state passed a new pro-life bill modeled on Texas’s own pro-life law.
Coming out of commercial break, Jackson, using some woke language warned, “In just the last hour you got Oklahoma passing a near total ban on abortions, sending that now to Governor Kevin Stitt's desk and he signaled he would sign it into law. The only exception is to save the pregnant person's life.”
Jackson also fretted that “it's all happening as Oklahoma is seeing a big spike in people trying to get abortions there. Forty-five percent of Texas women traveling out of state for abortions went to Oklahoma between last September and this past December after the Texas heartbeat bill went into effect.”
Jackson then introduced reporter Maura Barrett who was in Oklahoma City, “So this bill that you just mentioned essentially a near total ban in the sense that it criminalizes providers who conduct abortions. And basically, it's making it a felony once it's signed into law, and it could be punishable by up to ten years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.”
Barrett also lamented the effect the Oklahoma law would have on Texas women seeking abortions, “And So when we saw the protest at the State House today, women really speaking out against the fact that this is having a huge effect for women in Oklahoma and outside because what we've seen since Texas passed its heartbeat bill last September, the Oklahoma Planned Parenthoods and abortion clinics have seen an increase of 800% in their clinics because of people coming in from Texas, and then it's also pushing Oklahoma patients into states like Kansas because they can't—they can't-- have the capacity to take Oklahoma patients.”
At least Barrett used the word “women.”
After playing a clip from a protesting Planned Parenthood employee, Barrett concluded by warning that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, Oklahoma could just be the beginning, “Now, Hallie, this year alone we've seen laws enacted in states like Florida, West Virginia, Idaho, Indiana, and Arizona passing abortion restrictions. And this is just in tandem with across the country 28 states introducing over 71 bills and so this is something that obviously we've seen a lot of buzz around, especially as Roe v. Wade is set to be considered again in the Supreme Court this summer. But people here telling me that this ultimately will have such a ripple effect if it ultimately comes down to a state by state decision, Hallie.”
A ripple effect that will result in more saved babies and MSNBC is deeply concerned.
This segment was sponsored by Progressive.
Here is a transcript for the April 5 show:
MSNBC Hallie Jackson Reports
4/5/2022
3:38 PM ET
HALLIE JACKSON: In just the last hour you got Oklahoma passing a near total ban on abortions, sending that now to Governor Kevin Stitt's desk and he signaled he would sign it into law. The only exception is to save the pregnant person's life. We've seen protests outside the State House today. Look at them, you see them on your screen here, over another abortion ban bill which could hit the State Senate as early as next week. And it's all happening as Oklahoma is seeing a big spike in people trying to get abortions there. Forty-five percent of Texas women traveling out of state for abortions went to Oklahoma between last September and this past December after the Texas heartbeat bill went into effect.
Joining us now is NBC News's Maura Barrett in Oklahoma City. So, some significant developments even just this afternoon here on this issue, Maura.
MAURA BARRETT: Yeah, Hallie. So this bill that you just mentioned essentially a near total ban in the sense that it criminalizes providers who conduct abortions. And basically, it's making it a felony once it's signed into law, and it could be punishable by up to ten years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000 and as you mentioned, this is just one of seven bills in the Oklahoma State House. The other one that we've been monitoring would limit abortions except for in the case of—of-- the woman's life being at risk and would even limit it down to the fact if it was an exception around rape, incest or sexual assault as long as those incidences—incidences-- were reported to law enforcement.
And we know how rare that is for women to report when something like that happens to them. And So when we saw the protest at the State House today, women really speaking out against the fact that this is having a huge effect for women in Oklahoma and outside because what we've seen since Texas passed its heartbeat bill last September, the Oklahoma Planned Parenthoods and abortion clinics have seen an increase of 800% in their clinics because of people coming in from Texas, and then it's also pushing Oklahoma patients into states like Kansas because they can't—they can't-- have the capacity to take Oklahoma patients. I waited here for Marie Hoffmann. She's one of the protests we spoke with today and she works at a Planned Parenthood taking in a lot of those Texas patients.
MARIE HOFFMANN: We've been flooded with patients from Texas that have told us their stories of just getting down to see us just so they can have health care. Their state has denied that for them. What's scary is that that's happening to them and now it's going to happen to us.
BARRETT: Now, Hallie, this year alone we've seen laws enacted in states like Florida, West Virginia, Idaho, Indiana, and Arizona passing abortion restrictions. And this is just in tandem with across the country 28 states introducing over 71 bills and so this is something that obviously we've seen a lot of buzz around, especially as Roe v. Wade is set to be considered again in the Supreme Court this summer. But people here telling me that this ultimately will have such a ripple effect if it ultimately comes down to a state by state decision, Hallie.
