The U.S. Supreme Court released its highly anticipated decision Friday morning overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark ruling which established a constitutional right to abortion.

The 6-3 decision in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization does not in itself make abortion illegal, but instead leaves that decision in the hands of state legislatures.

“Our decision returns the issue of abortion to those legislative bodies, and it allows women on both sides of the abortion issue to seek to affect the legislative process by influencing public opinion, lobbying legislators, voting, and running for office,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion.

“Women are not without electoral or political power,” he added, noting that the percentage of women who register to vote and actually participate in elections is “consistently higher than the percentage of men who do so.”

Oklahoma is one of five states who have adopted so-called trigger laws, making pre-Roe abortion bans almost immediately enforceable once the case was overturned.

Oklahoma’s law makes abortion illegal except to save the life of the mother and will take effect as soon as the state attorney general certifies that Roe has been overturned.

“Decades of steadfast prayer and unwavering legislative efforts to protect the lives of the unborn have finally prevailed,” Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka) said in a statement Friday.

“Overturning Roe v. Wade justifies the long battle by Oklahoma House Republicans and pro-life allies nationwide to return this matter to the duly elected representatives of state legislatures to decide,” McCall added.

“Today’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade properly puts the decision of whether states allow abortions back into the hands of each state,” State Sen. Darcy Jech (R-Kingfisher) told the Times & Free Press Friday.

“Oklahomans have long been in favor of protecting life,” Jech added. “For those of us who hoped for this decision, Oklahoma is well prepared to act promptly on theCourt’s action.”

“After nearly 50 years and 60 million lives lost, I am glad to see this day come,” State Rep. Mike Dobrinski (R-Okeene) said. “We now must do more to support mothers and children in this state and now is the time to increase our effort.”

The state already had adopted a civil abortion ban styled after the Texas law that providing a private right of action against those performing or aiding abortions except to protect the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest.

That law, adopted this spring, effectively shuttered the state’s existing abortion providers.

“With Roe overturned and Oklahoma’s several proactive, pro-life policies already in immediate effect, the stage is set for Oklahoma to be America’s most pro-life state,” McCall said.

“For close to 50 years, the silent cries of the millions who lost their lives before even having a chance to live have been heard through the voices of those of us fighting for their rights.

“The pro-life movement won, securing those yet unborn the future and promise that comes with being born in the United States of America.”

Almost half the states are expected to outlaw or severely restrict abortion access in the wake of the Supreme Court decision.

Alito was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and justices Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh, who each also wrote concurring opinions, and Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Justices Elana Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer dissented. Retiring U.S. Senator Jim

Retiring U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe had this to say about the decision in a statement released Friday:

“I am overjoyed to hear that the Supreme Court has announced its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade today. The Court has now rightfully declared that Roe was wrong from the start, and we can begin to chart a new course on the journey to protect life.”

Meanwhile, the Dobbs decision has sparked outrage and in some cases threats from pro-abortion groups across the country.

Abortion advocacy group Women’s March declared the “summer of rage has just begun. We’ll see you in the streets.” The group’s executive di

The group’s executive director, Rachel O’Leary Carmona, issued this statement: “Now, like always, the

“Now, like always, the burden falls to women to lead this fight. And we will be ungovernable, unmanageable, and unrelenting until this government starts working for us. We will fight back like we always have. And we will win.

“Don’t say we didn’t warn you.”