'You're an accessory in the violation of a crime';Dahm defends controversial abortion bill

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Ahead of gaveling in, we have new information on a proposed senate bill that could charge someone who helps a minor receive an abortion with “trafficking.”

Senate Bill 1778, introduced by Senator Nathan Dahm, sparked some debate amongst advocates.

News Channel 8’s Mckenzie Richmond sat down with a one-on-one with Sen. Dahm to gain some clarification and understand his intentions behind the bill.

Sen. Dahm says the purpose of the bill is to ensure minors are not being “trafficked” or taken out of state to get an abortion by individuals or groups like Planned Parenthood and to ensure these groups are not importing chemical abortion pills without proper consent and involvement of a minor’s parent or guardian.

However, advocates have expressed some concerns with the language of the bill.

Senate Bill 1778 states "Recruiting, harboring, or transporting the pregnant minor within this state commits the crime of abortion trafficking.”

The law is written in a way to potentially send a friend, aunt, or grandparent to prison for supporting or encouraging their niece or granddaughter in the decision to get an abortion, for sending them a link to the website of an abortion clinic or even giving them gas money to drive to the abortion clinic.

“If they did it knowingly that they would be circumventing the parents and committing a crime,” Sen. Dahm said. “It’s no different than if you gave somebody gas money for them to be the getaway driver for committing some other crime or something else like that. You’re becoming an accessory in the violation of a crime.”

In Oklahoma, any person found guilty of said abortion trafficking could be imprisoned for 2 to 5 years.

We asked Sen. Dahm how the law applies to a rape or incestual incident, when a minor may not feel comfortable telling their parents but may rather confide in their extended family or godparent.

He says the law doesn’t make any exceptions for abortion besides what is currently in our state law--- meaning abortions are only legal if it puts the mother’s life at risk.

Sen. Dahm says the crime, whether it be rape or incest should be reported, but taking the minor across state lines to get an abortion would just perpetuate another crime.

Dahm says this could all be avoided if a parent is informed and involved in the decision.

Similar laws were proposed in Tennessee and Idaho, though in Idaho a judge ruled it a violation of the First Amendment.

When we asked Sen. Dahm his reaction to the judge’s ruling, he said, “To say you have a First Amendment right to take a minor out of the state to terminate an innocent life is just ludicrous, but it par for the course with these liberal judges.”

So far, Sen. Dahm says he hasn’t heard any negative feedback from fellow legislators.

“We’re starting to see that there is this push from the left to circumvent parental rights and to go after minors who should not be making these decisions and trying to encourage that,” Sen. Dahm said. “We’re trying to make sure there is parental involvement, and this isn’t just being done by these organizations, like Planned Parenthood, who make a lot of money off of this and look at it as a profitability thing.”

We will keep you updated on the bill's progression once the legislative session commences this morning.