Abortion

Mississippi Prepares to Go Into Action To Immediately Enforce TRAP Law

The new law goes into effect on July 1st.  The bill's sponsor wants the clinic inspected on July 2nd.

House Public Health Committee Chairman Sam Mims. [img src]

How excited are Mississippi legislators to potentially shut down the only clinic in the state that provides elective abortions? The sponsor of a bill to do just that is already making arrangements to have the clinic inspected as soon as he can after the law goes into effect.

Yes, he’s only waiting one day.

According to the Clarion Ledger, H.B. 1390 sponsor and House Public Health Committee Chairman Sam Mims has already contacted the board of health to demand the Jackson Women’s Health Organization be checked for compliance to the new law demanding all physicians providing abortions be both board certified OB-GYNs and have admitting privileges to local hospitals. Since the bill goes into effect on July 1st, a Sunday, Sims is being generous and waiting until the next day for action.

“I am certainly aware that the Health Facilities Licensure Division is responsible for regulatory and enforcement duties on many types of facilities and does so with a limited number of employees,” Mims wrote in the letter [to the health department] which he also sent to The Associated Press. “However, as the author of HB1390, this legislation was one of my priorities as chairman of the Public Health and Human Services Committee, and I consider it an important accomplishment.”

July 1 is on a Sunday, when most state government offices are closed. The clinic is also closed on Sundays, according to its website.

Health Department spokesman Liz Sharlot said the clinic could be inspected Monday, July 2.

“We will be inspecting the facility as soon as the law goes into effect to ensure the facility is in compliance,” Sharlot said Friday.

The clinic is still seeking privileges for their physicians, but have so far not had success. They will have 10 days after their initial inspection to come into compliance or face closure.