Governor Haley Barbour Jeopardizes the Future of Women’s Health in Mississippi

Supporting the Criminalization of Abortion in Mississippi is a Threat to Women’s Health

Hattiesburg, MS — Planned Parenthood of Alabama, Inc., today denounces Governor Haley Barbour’s signing of Mississippi Senate Bill 2391, a bill consisting of a measure that will criminalize abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, and two measures further restricting abortion services in Mississippi.

Felicia Brown Williams, VP of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Alabama and Director of their Mississippi public affairs program, issued the following statement about this legislation:

SB 2391 is a measure that criminalizes abortion, and this legislation is fueled by politics, not concern for the health and safety of women.  By signing this bill into law, Governor Barbour has proven that he cares more about politics than women’s lives and health.

Mississippi politicians should be focused on solving Mississippi's most pressing issues, like rebuilding after Katrina, not interfering in the personal moral health care decisions of women. We need better schools, affordable health care and housing. We don’t need laws that threaten women’s health. 

Birth control and medically accurate sex education are proven tools to prevent unintended pregnancy — abortion bans are not.  This legislation does nothing to reduce unintended pregnancies in Mississippi.   

If Governor Barbour truly cares about reducing the number of unintended pregnancies and reducing the need for abortion, he and the Mississippi legislature will work with Planned Parenthood to increase access to birth control and medically accurate sex education.