TUPELO, Miss.—The American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net) is applauding Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, who signed heartbeat legislation into law Thursday.

According to LifeSite, SB2116 bans abortion after a baby’s heartbeat is detected and makes exceptions only to save a woman’s life or prevent harm to a “major bodily function.” Violators could have their medical licenses suspended or revoked. The law will take effect July 1.

“Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) and state legislators are to be commended for advancing the sanctity of human life by making illegal the abortion of a baby with a beating heart,” said Rob Chambers, vice president of AFA Action. “New York officials recently legalized abortion up until the time of live birth. I am thankful that the majority of elected officials in Mississippi still want to protect the most helpless among us.”

Added State Sen. Angela Hill (R-Picayune), the primary author of the bill, “I’m extremely thankful that Mississippi stands with other pro-life states in protecting both unborn life as well as the health of the mother—in stark contrast to recent shocking, late-term and after-birth infanticide measures that have been seen in states controlled by the radical left.”

Read the AFA Action Alert on the measure and see how state legislators voted here.

View the media page for AFA here. For more information on American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or on Twitter @AmericanFamAssc.

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To interview a representative from the American Family Association, contact [email protected], Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108, or ext. 100.