The Gestational Age Act, of HB 1510, was passed during the 2018 legislative session. It prohibits abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, except in the event that the pregnancy would endanger the mother’s life.
Jennifer Dalven, Director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, pinned this letter to the editor at the New York Times that shows just how hard it is to get an abortion in Mississippi.
To the Editor:
“What It Takes to Get an Abortion in the Most Restrictive State in the U.S.” (news graphic, July 23) poignantly demonstrates just how hard it is to get an abortion in Mississippi. But it’s not just Mississippi (or Texas or Arkansas): Six states are down to only one abortion clinic, under constant threat of closing by ideologically motivated politicians.
Today, a woman who lives in any of the 29 states considered “hostile” or “extremely hostile” to abortion rights or in one of 27 “abortion deserts” must travel long distances, be forced to delay care or listen to state-mandated misinformation. And things are getting worse: In the first quarter of 2018, 308 new abortion restrictions were introduced in 37 states.
If a Supreme Court nominee hostile to abortion rights is confirmed and the court fails to stand against the rising tide of restrictions and bans, abortion could be pushed entirely out of reach for women across the country, even without explicitly overturning Roe v. Wade. The stakes could not be higher.
A challenge to the law was immediately filed after the governor signed it in March. A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order until at least October 24. Now is not the time to remain silent. Take action! Register to vote. Make your voices heard at the ballot box. Support abortion access for women.
Women are capable of making their own healthcare decisions, and their right to do so should not be infringed.
