Category: Abortion
When Mississippi's abortion ban passed the state House of Representatives by a 94-25 margin and moved on to the more conservative Senate, with a signature already promised by Governor Haley Barbour, it seemed very likely that the bill would become law.
But the wording of the bill--which may put existing state abortion regulations in jeopardy--led Senate leaders to suggest that it be referred to conference, which might take it off the table entirely. Mississippi Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville), who originally brought the measure up for a vote, has indicated that the bill will probably not reemerge for another vote if it is referred to conference.
Mississippi Rep. Erik Fleming (D-Clinton), who also voted for the abortion ban, wrote on his blog that the bill is almost certainly doomed at this point:
The abortion ban bill received a death sentence when the Senate decided to send the bill to conference. The Senate wants to put back the original language into the bill that dealt with a woman viewing a sonagram and listening to the fetal heartbeat before consenting to an abortion, while keeping the ban langauge intact. Rep. Holland had said that if the bill went to conference, he would just let it sit there and die in conference. No indication if there has been a change of heart has been given.
While there's still a chance that the House and Senate could agree on language, one of the following would need to occur in order for this to happen:
When Mississippi's abortion ban passed the state House of Representatives by a 94-25 margin and moved on to the more conservative Senate, with a signature already promised by Governor Haley Barbour, it seemed very likely that the bill would become law.
But the wording of the bill--which may put existing state abortion regulations in jeopardy--led Senate leaders to suggest that it be referred to conference, which might take it off the table entirely. Mississippi Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville), who originally brought the measure up for a vote, has indicated that the bill will probably not reemerge for another vote if it is referred to conference.
Mississippi Rep. Erik Fleming (D-Clinton), who also voted for the abortion ban, wrote on his blog that the bill is almost certainly doomed at this point:
The abortion ban bill received a death sentence when the Senate decided to send the bill to conference. The Senate wants to put back the original language into the bill that dealt with a woman viewing a sonagram and listening to the fetal heartbeat before consenting to an abortion, while keeping the ban langauge intact. Rep. Holland had said that if the bill went to conference, he would just let it sit there and die in conference. No indication if there has been a change of heart has been given.
While there's still a chance that the House and Senate could agree on language, one of the following would need to occur in order for this to happen:
- Rep. Holland would have to bring the bill back up for a vote after it emerges from conference, which he has already said he won't do; or
- Senate leaders would have to accept the bill as written, which they have already suggested they won't do.
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