Representative Denise Crosswhite Hader

R

District 41

Hi, I'm Denise Crosswhite Hader and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 41st District.


representative

Leadership

Majority Caucus Secretary

58th Legislature

Assistant Majority Whip

59th Legislature

News & Announcements

Mar 14, 2024
Recent Posts

House Passes Bill to Halt Trafficking of Chemical Abortion Pills

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, passed legislation in the House that would penalize with a felony anyone who distributes or possesses with the intent to distribute abortion-inducing drugs when the intent is to cause an abortion for another person. "My goal is to protect the physical and mental health of women," Crosswhite Hader said. "This bill addresses people that are trafficking abortion-inducing drugs to young women with little to no thought to the consequences. all to make a profit from a woman during one of the most vulnerable times of her life." House Bill 3013 does not restrict the Plan B or Morning After Pill, and it defines and specifies that nothing in the act would prohibit the use, sale, prescription or administration of a preventive contraceptive measure, such as birth control pills or devices. Crosswhite Hader said there are numerous reports of women being given these medical or chemical abortion-inducing drugs by non-medical professionals who do not understand what the medications can do to a woman if administered incorrectly. The drugs are often taken in isolation, leaving the woman to go through cramping and bleeding and the shedding of her pregnancy with no medical expert on hand to help her through not only the physical pain and after-effects of the drugs, but also the mental anguish that can result from seeing her pre-term pregnancy in a non-viable state.  Crosswhite Hader said even more alarming are reports that only the second drug in a two-drug sequence are being given in some instances. The first drug is intended to stop the growth of the pregnancy. The second is to evacuate. To give the second drug without the first presents a greater danger to the woman, she said. Under the provisions of the act, a person convicted of trafficking or attempting to traffic abortion-inducing drugs shall be guilty of a felony punishable by a fine not to exceed $100,000 or by imprisonment for a term not to exceed 10 years or by both. This is the same penalty as current law for performing an illegal abortion. The bill now moves to the state Senate where it is authored by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant. If signed into law, it would become effective Nov. 1. 

Feb 2, 2024
Recent Posts

Crosswhite Hader Bill Would Penalize Purveyance of Abortion-Inducing Drugs

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, has filed legislation that would penalize with a felony anyone who distributes or possesses with the intent to distribute abortion-inducing drugs when the intent is to cause an abortion.  House Bill 3013 would result in a felony upon conviction for any person who knows or has reason to know that another person intends to use an abortion-inducing drug to cause an unlawful abortion and who knowingly or intentionally delivers an abortion-inducing drug to that person; possesses an abortion-inducing drug with the intent to deliver the drug to that person or offers or advertises the drug for sale or delivers to that person; or who commits trafficking of the drug. The penalty is consistent with the current penalty for performing an illegal abortion in an effort to create constancy. The act does not apply to a pharmacist or manufacturer or distributor of surgical supplies who lawfully manufactures, possesses, offers, sells, or distributes, in the usual course of that entity's business or profession, any drug, medicine or instrument intended for any lawful medical purpose. Under state law, abortions can only be performed to preserve the life of the mother in a medical emergency.  "Abortion-inducing drugs pose great physical and mental threat to women who use them for this purpose" Crosswhite Hader said. "I'm concerned that a woman given these drugs to take in isolation could die by herself, and they could keep her from being able to carry to term a pregnancy at a later date should that be desired." Under the provisions of the act, a person convicted of trafficking or attempting to traffic abortion-inducing drugs shall be guilty of a felony punishable by a fine not to exceed $100,000 or by imprisonment for a term not to exceed 10 years or by both.  Crosswhite Hader said her goal is to protect women's health by stopping the trafficking or sharing of abortion-inducing drugs. She said there are numerous reports of women being given these drugs by non-medical professionals who do not understand what the medications can do to a woman if administered incorrectly. The drugs are often taken in isolation. This leaves the woman to go through cramping and bleeding and the shedding of her pregnancy with no medical expert on hand to help her through not only the physical pain and after-effects of the drugs, but also the mental anguish that can result from seeing her pre-term pregnancy in a non-viable state.  She said just like legislators enacted punishments for adults who give alcohol to minors, penalties are attached in this act to hopefully give people who would distribute these drugs pause. Crosswhite Hader said even more alarming are reports that only the second drug in a two-drug sequence are being given in some instances. The first drug is intended to stop the growth of the pregnancy. The second is to evacuate. To give the second drug without the first presents a greater danger to the woman, she said. If signed into law, the act would become effective Nov. 1. The bill will be eligible for consideration during the upcoming legislative session, which starts Feb. 5.

Mar 8, 2023
Recent Posts

Federal Election Trigger Bill Passes House

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House today approved a bill that would decouple Oklahoma elections from federal ones should federal election laws substantially change. Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, described House Bill 1415 as a trigger bill that would only take effect should federal election laws change in a way that conflicts with state laws. If that happened, Oklahoma elections would be held separately, and federal laws would be followed only during federal elections. "Currently, our state election laws are tied to federal regulations," Crosswhite Hader said. "As the U.S. Congress continues to look to amend their election process, as is their prerogative, I am concerned about federal overreach in our state elections. We must be prepared to maintain authority over Oklahoma elections. This bill will simply give us a break from federal elections if it is needed so that we can affirm our state authority. This would only go into effect if the federal government oversteps their authority on our state." The bill would establish that the Oklahoma attorney general with concurrence of the secretary of the State Election Board would confirm if a trigger has taken place. If or when the action is needed, a committee is to be established within two weeks and make a determination on time, place and manner of election dates for the state within 60 days. The Committee would be made up of four members each appointed by the House and Senate, as well as the state's attorney general, the chair of the District Attorneys Council, and the governor or a designee. Crosswhite Hader brought forward the same legislation last year, which passed the House but failed to advance in the Senate. This year, she is working in tandem with the Senate and at the previous request of the State Election Board secretary. HB 1415, presented Tuesday, passed the House with a vote of 77-20. It now moves to the state Senate where it is authored by Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa.