Oklahoma Gov. Vetoes Bill That Would Have Criminalized Abortion

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin vetoed a bill Friday that would have criminalized abortions and punished the doctors who perform them, saying that the bill would not have survived legal challenges.

The bill, which was passed by the state's Senate Thursday, threatened a three-year prison sentence for doctors and the revocation of their medical licenses. Nathan Dahm, a Republican senator and author of the bill, said he hoped the bill and its journey through the courts would have helped overturn Roe v. Wade.

It contained an exception if the mother's life was at risk.

• SEE ALSO: Oklahoma Senate Passes Bill Criminalizing Abortion

"The bill is so ambiguous and so vague that doctors cannot be certain what medical circumstances would be considered 'necessary to preserve the life of the mother,'" Fallin said in a statement.

Fallin has been a staunch pro-life supporter during her time as governor, and Donald Trump has hinted that she would make a good running mate in the fall.

"While I consistently have and continue to suppport a re-examination of the United States Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade, this legislation cannot accomplish that re-examination," Fallin said. She added that the fastest way to overturn the crucial 1973 decision "is the appointment of a conservative, pro-life justice to the United States Supreme Court."