^{Category: Abortion}

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All that stands between Mississippi and a signed abortion ban is fried chicken and pork chops.

I blogged yesterday that Mississippi's abortion ban died in conference when the conference deadline expired. And this was true; it most certainly did. Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville), the man responsible for bringing the bill to a vote in the first place, made sure of that:

In the hour leading up to the bill deadline, Holland—accompanied by Rep. Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, and a reporter and an intern from the Jackson Free Press—went to dinner at C.S.’ Deli. There he fed on fried chicken and pork chops, telling stories about his career as an undertaker, and killing time he might have spent in conference negotiating and arguing with Republicans over the bill’s language.

By the time Holland paid his check and returned to the Capitol and leisurely presented his most recent version of the bill to Senate conferees, House and Senate health committee members had only 12 minutes left to reach a consensus on the conference report before sending it out to the House and Senate for approval. Minutes after conferees started reading through the report, Holland said, “You’ve got five minutes to sign your signatures.”

But I should never again underestimate the passion of Mississippi's conservative legislators on the issue of abortion. Today, the Mississippi State House of Representatives passed a resolution extending the conference deadline for various pieces of legislation--including the abortion ban.

Still, the bill will need Rep. Holland's cooperation to pass conference even with an extended deadline, and all indications are that he isn't planning to offer it. As Jackson Free Press editor-in-chief Donna Ladd, who spoke to Holland about the recent turn of events, reported:

Holland says he "is through with it," and does not plan to confer. In fact, he said, "I plan to sit back on my big a** and let it die."

Mississippi pro-choicers are keeping their fingers crossed that Rep. Holland's love for Southern cuisine is stronger than his love for the state's powerful anti-abortion lobby.