American Family Association (AFA) invites you to sign the petition thanking elected officials in the State of Mississippi for being the first state legislature in the nation to ban abortions after 15 weeks. The Gestational Age Act originated in the Mississippi House of Representatives where it passed 79-31 before advancing to the Senate where it passed 35-14. The bill is on its way to Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R), and he has indicated he will sign the bill into law.
AFA encourages pro-life people across America to sign the petition expressing their thanks to Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves (R), Speaker Philip Gunn (R), and members of the Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate for fighting for the unborn. Also, encourage your state elected officials to pass similar legislation.
Mississippi Rep. Becky Currie (R) is the bill’s principal author who also had the support of several co-authors including Rep. Andy Gipson (R). When asked if the bill went far enough, Rep. Gipson said, "I believe that life begins at conception and I believe it goes until the Lord calls us home." Yet he strongly supports the bill because it will save the lives of more babies and will protect the life and health of more women.
Mississippi State Senator Angela Burks Hill (R) said, "The state has a compelling interest to also protect the health of the mother. As you get into the second-term abortions, the chances of complication totally increase by like 2,100 percent when you start doing those second-trimester abortions."
Sen. Joey Fillingane (R), who presented the bill in the Mississippi Senate, cited these provisions of the bill on the Senate floor describing the humanity of the unborn:
- "An unborn human being begins to move about in the womb at approximately eight (8) weeks' gestation."
- "At nine (9) weeks' gestation, all basic physiological functions are present. Teeth and eyes are present, as well as external genitalia."
- "An unborn human being's vital organs begin to function at ten (10) weeks' gestation. Hair, fingernails, and toenails also begin to form."
- "At eleven (11) weeks' gestation, an unborn human being's diaphragm is developing, and he or she may even hiccup. He or she is beginning to move about freely in the womb."
- "At twelve (12) weeks' gestation, an unborn human being can open and close his or her fingers, starts to make sucking motions, and senses stimulation from the world outside the womb."
Again, we invite you to sign the petition thanking Mississippi officials for helping pass the Gestational Age Act banning abortions after 15 weeks.
