Mississippi continues to disappoint me time and time again. Women’s rights and reproductive justice have been thrown under the bus for the selfish reasons of a Governor who believes it’s his right to decide what to do with women’s bodies.

According to Hattiesburg American, “[On Monday, May 24th] Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour…signed a new state law that bans public funding for most abortions under health exchanges that will be created under a federal health care overhaul.”

“Mississippi continues to be the safest place to be an unborn child in America today,” Barbour said in a news release, citing language used by abortion opponents.

Since 2002, Mississippi has had a law banning any federal, state, or local tax dollars to be used on abortion.

According to the Hattiesburg American, “The bill’s supporters said they want Mississippi to specify that no public money could pay for abortions once all provisions of a federal health overhaul are set to become law by 2014.”

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour also plans to sue to block the Federal Health overhaul.

Barbour has said it’s unconstitutional for the federal government to require people to buy health insurance

MS has one abortion clinic in operation and it is in Jackson, MS. According to Hattiesburg American, “The 2002 Mississippi law allows public funding for abortion only if the procedure is medically necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life, if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest or if a fetal malformation would clearly cause a miscarriage or stillbirth.”

The state requires a 24-hour waiting period between the time a woman consults a health care provider about abortion and when the procedure is performed. It also requires any unemancipated minor to get parental consent or a judge’s permission before having an abortion

The bill that Barbour signed into law has exceptions for danger to the pregnant woman’s life and for rape or incest, but not for severe fetal malformation.

MS has endured an eventful couple of months. First, they deny Constance McMillen, entry into her school prom because she wanted to bring her lesbian girlfriend, now Gov. Haley Barbour is blocking health care for many Mississippians and throwing women under the bus due to his religious beliefs.  I think he has proven where is loyalty lies and it isn’t with women.