New law targets lone abortion clinic in Miss.
April 13, 2012
JACKSON, Miss.— Mississippi’s abortion laws, already among the strictest in the nation, are poised to become even tighter after a push by social conservatives to shut down the state’s only clinic providing the procedure.
Women’s legal options could soon be restricted to finding a doctor willing to terminate a pregnancy or seeking an abortion out of state, which would prove difficult for people with little money.
A bill passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and awaiting the signature of GOP Gov. Phil Bryant requires anyone performing abortions in a clinic to be a certified OB-GYN with admitting privileges at a local hospital. Those privileges aren’t easy for doctors to get, either because they live out of state or because some religious-affiliated hospitals might be unwilling to associate themselves with people who perform elective abortions.
Bryant says he’ll sign the law in the next few days. It would take effect July 1.