Near-ban on abortion advances in Mississippi Legislature

From the AP/SunHerald (2/23/07):

Mississippi lawmakers are moving closer to agreeing on an election-year bill that would ban most abortions in the state and set prison time for those performing the procedures - but the near-ban would take effect here only if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns a 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

. . . The Mississippi bill passed the state House 97-16, and no lawmaker argued against it. The bill combines three abortion-restriction measures that cleared the state Senate in the past few weeks. Because the House merged the original proposals into one bill, the Senate must either accept the House plan or seek final negotiations between the two chambers.

. . . The bill says most abortions would be banned in Mississippi if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the court's decision that legalized abortion 34 years ago. The only exceptions in the state would be in cases of rape or if the pregnant woman's life were in danger. The bill has no separate exception that would allow abortions for pregnancies caused by incest.

"Legal counsel thinks that rape and incest is one and the same," Holland said.

By a voice vote, the House rejected an amendment that would have allowed abortions in cases of incest.

Read Near-ban on abortion advances in Mississippi Legislature.  This ban is contingent on Roe v. Wade being overturned, unlike the South Dakota ban rejected by voters last November, which was designed to take effect within months of becoming law and was intended to spur a direct challenge to Roe.