Bipartisan Spirit Benefits "Scum of the Earth" Bill

The bipartisan efforts of several legislators have allowed the "Scum of the Earth" bill to quickly advance through the legislative process this year, state Rep. Rebecca Hamilton said today.

House Bill 1897, by Hamilton and state Sen. Debbe Leftwich (D-Oklahoma City), would allow charges to be pursued against anyone who beats a pregnant woman.

The bill passed unanimously in both the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the state Senate today and now goes to Gov. Brad Henry to be signed into law.

"This legislation has been called the 'Scum of the Earth Bill' for obvious reasons," said Hamilton, D-Oklahoma City. "The number one cause of death for pregnant women is murder, usually at the hands of the father of the baby. We've always been able to file murder charges after the woman and her baby are dead. Now, with the passage of HB 1897, law enforcement can intervene in an effective way before it gets that far.

"This bill has been derailed in the past, but this year, thanks to the bipartisan efforts of several of my colleagues it has passed both chambers of the Legislature and is on its way to becoming law."

Hamilton has filed the bill every year for the past four legislative sessions. This is the first year the bill has survived to go to the governor.

This session is different because of the active efforts of several legislators, Hamilton said.

"HB 1897 would never have made it without the support and hard work of Representative Paul Wesselhöft (R-Moore) and the extraordinary dedication and hard work of Senator Debbe Leftwich. Also, Senator James Williamson (R-Tulsa) stepped in at a critical point to save the bill. The House Floor Leader, Greg Piatt (R-Ardmore) went above and beyond in his willingness to get the bill heard in the House."

State Rep. Doug Cox (R-Grove), who is the only doctor serving in the Legislature, has also been an active and vocal proponent of the measure. As an emergency room doctor, Cox has told colleagues of his first-hand view of the terrible consequences of domestic abuse, helping build support for the measure.

Under the bill, anyone convicted of beating a pregnant woman would face a misdemeanor with a minimum sentence of one year in prison. Anyone attacking a pregnant woman in an attempt to cause a miscarriage would face a minimum sentence of five years in prison, and abusers convicted multiple times would face at least 10 years in prison.

According to the calculations of The Journal of American Medical Associations, over 3,000 pregnant women in Oklahoma are physically assaulted each year.

"I want to thank Representatives Wesselhöft, Piatt and Cox, along with Senators Leftwich and Williamson for their efforts to make this bill a law," Hamilton said. "Opposition to domestic abuse should not be determined by party affiliation and, thankfully this year there has been strong bipartisan support for the legislation."