JACKSON, Miss. — By a unanimously vote, the Mississippi Senate Tuesday passed a House bill that would end some late term abortions in the state.
“We are trying to ban any abortions where the unborn child could feel pain during the procedure which is 20 weeks and beyond,” explained Senator Joey Fillingane, R-Hattiesburg. “This focuses on not wanting to be cruel to the unborn child.”
Exceptions would be made to prevent permanent physical damage or death of a pregnant woman, or in case of several fetal abnormalities. But senators rejected an amendment that would have also excluded pregnancies through rape or incest. Senator Angela Hill, R-Picayune, was among those who argued against it saying the amendment would “open the door to abortions of conveniences after 20 weeks.”
The owner of the state’s only remaining abortion clinic has said it stop doing the procedure after 16 weeks, so the law would have no impact on its’ services.
The bill now heads to a conference committee of house and senate members who will work out their differences.
