Reporter: From Wire Reports

Oklahoma House committee passes personhood bill

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Members of an Oklahoma House panel have approved legislation that would grant "personhood" status to human embryos.

The Oklahoma House's Public Health Committee voted 7-4 for the Senate-passed measure Tuesday and sent it to the full House.

The bill provides embryos and fetuses "all the rights, privileges and immunities" of other citizens. Supporters say it's modeled after a 1986 Missouri law that the U.S. Supreme Court has said is constitutional.

Abortion-rights supporters oppose the measure and say government should not interfere in the lives of its citizens.

The Oklahoma State Medical Association says the bill could affect reproductive medicine and ban certain forms of birth control.

A petition drive is under way to put a similar measure on the November ballot. At least 22 states are pushing personhood measures.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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