House Media

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill making it a felony crime to traffic abortion pills has been signed into law by the governor. Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, is the author of House Bill 1168 . The measure creates a felony offense for anyone to knowingly possess or deliver abortion-inducing drugs — including mifepristone, misoprostol and methotrexate — to someone who intends to use them for an unlawful abortion. "Abortion is already illegal in Oklahoma other than to protect the life of a mother in an emergency," Crosswhite Hader said. "What has happened, however, since that has become law in our state, is that people are trafficking abortion-inducing drugs to women who are already in a vulnerable state. That's unscrupulous, and it needs to stop.  "This bill is about protecting women from the horrible side effects of these pills. It's also to protect women from being taken advantage of by someone looking to personally profit from the distribution of these pills." Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, is the Senate author of the bill. He had this to say about its signing. "We hear a lot about the trafficking of humans and children and rightfully so. We have worked hard to eliminate this enslavement of people. The trafficking of the abortion pill is no different than human trafficking and possibly worse. It is the largest killer of babies and the greatest threat to motherhood. It is the death sentence to an innocent baby who has been convicted of no crime and a false hope to a mother, soon to kill the child she carries. In fact, the injustice of the abortion pill being trafficked in Oklahoma is a generational loss of Holocaust proportions, and the victims are always twofold. Today, we took a big step in stopping both of those wrongs. Oklahoma will continue to stand for the rights of a person to have life, liberty and property."    Crosswhite Hader said she's heard reports of women being given these drugs by non-medical professionals who do not understand what the medications can do to a woman if administered incorrectly. The drugs are often taken in isolation. This leaves the woman to go through cramping and bleeding and the shedding of her pregnancy with no medical expert on hand to help her through not only the physical pain and after-effects of the drugs, but also the mental anguish that can result from seeing her pre-term pregnancy in a non-viable state. "I'm concerned that a woman given these drugs could die by herself, and they could keep her from being able to carry to term a pregnancy at a later date should that be desired," she said.  There's also a concern that only the second drug in a two-drug sequence are being given in some instances. The first drug is intended to stop the growth of the pregnancy. The second is to evacuate. To give the second drug without the first presents a greater danger to the woman, she said.  Under HB 1168, anyone convicted of trafficking or attempting to traffic abortion-inducing drugs could face a fine of up to $100,000, up to 10 years in prison, or both. This is the same as current law for those performing an illegal abortion. The legislation only addresses those who intend to distribute these drugs illegally to others, not those who are accessing these drugs for themselves, Crosswhite Hader said.  This measure does not limit or prohibit the sale of contraceptives, and it would not impact couples undergoing IVF treatment. Under the definition of "Abortion-inducing drug, " included in the bill, it specifies that this definition does not apply to drugs that may be known to cause an abortion, but which are prescribed for other medical indications, such as chemotherapeutic agents or diagnostic drugs, or for treatment of an ectopic pregnancy or spontaneous miscarriage.  Additionally, HB 1168 does not apply to pharmacists, drug manufacturers or distributors who legally possess, sell or distribute pharmaceuticals intended for lawful medical purposes.  Crosswhite Hader said another factor to consider is the release of the abortifacient "forever" chemicals into wastewater that cannot be treated by facilities or septic systems. These then enter water supplies to be drunk by the rest of the population. The bill passed the House last year and the Senate this year. It was signed into law by the governor May 5. He held a ceremonial signing of the bill today, allowing authors of the bill and pro-life supporters to be present to celebrate the measure becoming law.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, and Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, today commented on the signing of House Bill 2979 , known as the “Talyn Bain Act,” a measure to improve safety for students by establishing lower speed limits on certain highways near schools. The legislation is named in honor of Talyn Bain, a nine-year-old Glenpool student who lost his life in a crash near his school in 2025. Banning, the House author of the bill, said he hopes the bill will help prevent similar accidents. "House Bill 2979 is in honor of a young man we lost too soon, Talyn Bain," Banning said. "This legislation ensures we’re addressing dangerous situations where high-speed highways run too close to schools. If we can prevent even one tragedy like this from happening again, then this effort is worth it." Talyn’s family said they are grateful the legislation will help protect other Oklahoma children and families. "The Talyn Bain Act becoming law means Talyn's name will forever stand for protecting children across Oklahoma," the Bain family said. "While we would give anything to have our son back, we are incredibly grateful that his life is creating change that could help save other families from this kind of heartbreak. "Thank you to Representative Chris Banning, Senator Gollihare and everyone who stood beside us, believed in this bill and helped make this happen. Talyn was so deeply loved, and we will continue doing everything we can to make sure his life matters far louder than the tragedy that took him from us." HB2979 directs the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to create 45 mph school zones on portions of state highways upon request from a local jurisdiction, provided specific safety conditions are met. These include highways with speed limits of 65 mph or higher that run within 150 yards of a school and lack a direct exit ramp into the school zone. The measure allows local communities to partner with ODOT to identify qualifying locations and implement the reduced speed zones. The agency has identified approximately 14 locations statewide that meet the criteria outlined in the bill. "This law is about protecting our children and making sure no family has to endure the kind of loss the Bain family has experienced," Gollihare said. "By slowing traffic in high-risk areas near schools, we are taking a commonsense step to improve safety and potentially save lives. Talyn’s legacy will be one of lasting impact, helping safeguard students across Oklahoma for years to come. This was a collaborative effort and I’m grateful to Representative Banning and all those who worked to move this bill forward. I appreciate the governor’s support in signing it into law." Under the law, ODOT will install appropriate signage, while local jurisdictions will be responsible for ongoing maintenance and operational costs. The Tayln Bain Act will take effect Nov. 1, 2026.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation expanding alternative pathways for individuals seeking to become certified teachers in Oklahoma has been signed into law. House Bill 3076 , authored by Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, and Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, allows teachers to receive certification through alternative teacher preparation programs, including programs offered by public schools, regional service agencies and private or nonprofit entities. "We know Oklahoma needs strong teachers in every classroom, and this bill helps open more doors for qualified individuals who want to answer that call," Lepak said. "By creating additional pathways into the profession while maintaining oversight and accreditation requirements, we are helping schools recruit talented educators and giving future teachers more opportunities to succeed. Programs like this in other states get candidates certified quicker and at less cost, plus their 5-year retention rates are comparable to those of teachers graduating from our colleges of education, without seeing any decline in student performance. Furthermore, some actually work with school districts to fill their specific needs. Thousands of teaching positions have been filled through this process in other states, and I'm hopeful Oklahoma will see the number of emergency certifications decline when this pathway is fully developed." Under the new law, the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability will oversee the approval process for alternative teacher preparation programs and must approve or deny applicants within 60 days. Applicants denied approval must be given the opportunity to address deficiencies identified by the commission. Seifried said the measure will help strengthen Oklahoma’s teacher pipeline while maintaining accountability and quality standards. "Great teachers can come from all different backgrounds and career paths," Seifried said. "This new law creates more opportunities for qualified individuals to become passionate educators while setting them up for success in the classroom. Expanding these pathways will help address Oklahoma’s teacher shortage while ensuring all students receive a quality education." Private or nonprofit programs approved under the measure will be required to obtain accreditation through the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation or the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation within three years or risk losing approval. The legislation also requires the commission to promote alternative teacher preparation programs to potential educators, while the State Board of Education must maintain and publish a list of approved providers on its website. HB3076 takes effect July 1.