Planned Parenthood’s president has hailed an increase in telehealth services, including access to chemical abortions, as a “silver lining” of the coronavirus pandemic. “It is actually a silver lining in this pandemic, that Planned Parenthood and many other health providers have actually been able to really lean into telehealth infrastructure and provide service,” said Alexis…Read More
The answers to three key questions about the ongoing 2020 legislative session will shape what happens over the next month at an Oklahoma State Capitol currently closed to the public because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In less than five weeks, state lawmakers must pass a Fiscal Year 2021 state budget and adjourn sine die —…Read More
The answers to three key questions about the ongoing 2020 legislative session will shape what happens over the next month at an Oklahoma State Capitol currently closed to the public because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In less than five weeks, state lawmakers must pass a Fiscal Year 2021 state budget and adjourn sine die —…Read More
Much attention has rightly been paid to American families across the nation who continue to help their children learn at home during this pandemic. When will schools go back? Will they even go back in the fall, and what will that look like? Our economy—with one in five American workers currently out of a job—has…Read More
Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) are urging Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to exercise discretion and automatically extend the validity periods of critical documents for refugees and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders approved for resettlement in the United States until COVID-19…Read More
It has been one month since most schools across the US closed their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic. The solution to shuttered schools may seem simple, on the surface: move curriculum and teachers online. Teach classes on Zoom videos, assign and receive homework through Google Classroom, and send communications and grades via email or…Read More
Pro-life adovcates have criticized the governor of Michigan for calling abortion a “life-sustaining” procedure during an interview on Thursday. In an April 16 appearance on the podcast “The Axe Files,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) was asked by host David Axelrod to react efforts by some states to limit abortions as part of their efforts to conserve…Read More
Development of an effective, safe and widely available vaccine for the novel coronavirus is deeply important, but its development should avoid unethical links to abortion, said pro-life leaders in a letter to the Trump administration. “It is critically important that Americans have access to a vaccine that is produced ethically: no American should be forced…Read More
The Oklahoma Hospital Association on Thursday came out against Gov. Kevin Stitt’s goal of resuming elective surgeries next week, saying the focus should remain on preserving resources to fight the pandemic. Because models are now predicting a later surge in Oklahoma hospital patients with COVID-19, “we believe it is too soon to consider resuming elective…Read More
The Oklahoma Hospital Association on Thursday came out against Gov. Kevin Stitt’s goal of resuming elective surgeries next week, saying the focus should remain on preserving resources to fight the pandemic. Because models are now predicting a later surge in Oklahoma hospital patients with COVID-19, “we believe it is too soon to consider resuming elective…Read More
Three Southern California ecclesial communities have filed a lawsuit against Governor Gavin Newsom, alleging that social distancing orders he imposed amid COVID-19 violate their first amendment right to freedom of religion. Newsom imposed a stay-at-home order for the state March 19, mandating that nonessential businesses close their doors and restricting gatherings. Newsom’s order does not…Read More
The Justice Department (DOJ) is supporting a Mississippi church after local authorities fined attendees at a drive-in service during the coronavirus pandemic. The DOJ filed a statement of interest on Tuesday in support of Temple Baptist Church in Greenville, Mississippi, that held drive-in services where attendees listened to the service on their car radios. The…Read More
Chemical abortions in Texas will continue during the coronavirus pandemic after the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to overturn a lower court’s order on Tuesday. On April 9, the Western District Court of Texas placed a temporary restraining order on parts of the state’s ban on elective abortions during the new coronavirus (COVID-19)…Read More
A federal appeals court Monday night dismissed a challenge to a ruling that let medication abortions and certain surgical ones continue in Oklahoma during the coronavirus crisis. The three judges on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused on a technicality to consider the merits of the issue. Oklahoma officials were challenging a ruling last…Read More
A federal appeals court Monday night dismissed a challenge to a ruling that let medication abortions and certain surgical ones continue in Oklahoma during the coronavirus crisis. The three judges on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused on a technicality to consider the merits of the issue. Oklahoma officials were challenging a ruling last…Read More
Catholic dioceses in Oklahoma joined other Christian leaders on Monday to ask a federal court to let stand a state order halting elective abortions during the pandemic. “Abortion is not an absolute right,” said a friend-of-the-court brief filed April 6 by Alliance Defending Freedom on behalf of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, the Diocese of…Read More
Catholic dioceses in Oklahoma joined other Christian leaders on Monday to ask a federal court to let stand a state order halting elective abortions during the pandemic. “Abortion is not an absolute right,” said a friend-of-the-court brief filed April 6 by Alliance Defending Freedom on behalf of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, the Diocese of…Read More
U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin has blocked Gov. Stitt’s order that abortion is an elective surgery. Judge Goodwin wrote in his decision that the state “has acted in an “unreasonable,” “arbitrary,” and “oppressive” way – and imposed an “undue burden” on abortion access.” It was decided that the benefit of a ban on medication abortions…Read More
On Monday, lawmakers donning masks and gloves in groups smaller than 10 worked in the state Capitol to address the state’s $416 million revenue shortfall. But politics and undisclosed technical issues appeared to shadow some of the day’s success with confusion and tension. The House and Senate both passed three budget bills that would pull…Read More
Oklahoma’s Legislature on Monday gave Gov. Kevin Stitt sweeping power to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a special legislative session, legislators approved Stitt’s declaration of a health emergency in Oklahoma, which grants the governor additional powers under the Catastrophic Health Emergency Powers Act. This is the first time an Oklahoma governor has invoked the…Read More
Oklahoma’s Legislature on Monday gave Gov. Kevin Stitt sweeping power to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a special legislative session, legislators approved Stitt’s declaration of a health emergency in Oklahoma, which grants the governor additional powers under the Catastrophic Health Emergency Powers Act. This is the first time an Oklahoma governor has invoked the…Read More
The U.S. religious freedom ambassador on Thursday called on governments to release prisoners of conscience during the new coronavirus pandemic. “In this time of pandemic, religious prisoners should be released. We call on all governments around the world to do so,” Sam Brownback, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, said on April 2 during a…Read More
Reproductive rights groups are suing Oklahoma officials over Gov. Kevin Stitt’s order prohibiting most abortions during the COVID-19 outbreak. 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.…Read More
Gov. Kevin Stitt is calling Oklahoma legislators into special session to approve his declaration of a statewide health emergency. In an executive order issued Thursday, Stitt declared a health emergency for all 77 counties due to the spread of COVID-19. The declaration, if approved by Oklahoma’s Legislature, would give Stitt more power to respond to…Read More
A Texas order prohibiting most abortions during the novel coronavirus pandemic is temporarily back in effect, after the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put a stay on a federal district court ruling on Tuesday. After the Western District Court of Texas on Monday allowed elective abortions to continue in the state of Texas during…Read More
Kentucky’s attorney general has joined the national controversy over whether abortion clinics can continue to operate at a time when other surgeries and procedures have been canceled or delayed to conserve medical resources to combat the novel coronavirus. “Abortion providers should join the thousands of other medical professionals across the state in ceasing elective procedures,…Read More
Reproductive rights groups are suing Oklahoma officials over Gov. Kevin Stitt’s order prohibiting most abortions during the COVID-19 outbreak. 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.…Read More
Gov. Kevin Stitt is calling Oklahoma legislators into special session to approve his declaration of a statewide health emergency. In an executive order issued Thursday, Stitt declared a health emergency for all 77 counties due to the spread of COVID-19. The declaration, if approved by Oklahoma’s Legislature, would give Stitt more power to respond to…Read More