MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Public Health and Welfare

By: Representatives Peranich, Cameron, Chaney, Dedeaux, Denny, Ellington, Formby, Frierson, Gadd, King, Montgomery, Robertson, Rotenberry, Ryan, Short, Simmons (100th), Smith (35th), Stribling, Taylor, Wells-Smith, Woods, Davis (7th)

House Bill 1494

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTIONS; TO PROVIDE CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT; TO AUTHORIZE A CIVIL ACTION FOR DAMAGES FOR THE HUSBAND AND THE PARENTS OF A MOTHER WHO RECEIVES A PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION; TO AMEND SECTION 97-3-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.

SECTION 2. (1) Any physician who knowingly performs a partial-birth abortion and thereby kills a human fetus shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) or imprisoned in the State Penitentiary for not more than two (2) years, or both. This subsection shall not apply to a partial-birth abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury if no other medical procedure would suffice for that purpose.

(2) (a) As used in this section, "partial-birth abortion" means an abortion in which the person performing the abortion partially vaginally delivers a living fetus before killing the fetus and completing the delivery.

(b) As used in this section, "physician" means a doctor of medicine or osteopathy legally authorized to practice medicine and surgery by the State of Mississippi. However, any individual who is not a physician but who nevertheless directly performs a partial-birth abortion shall be subject to the provisions of this section.

(3) (a) The husband of a mother at the time she receives a partial-birth abortion procedure, and if the mother has not attained the age of eighteen (18) years at the time of the abortion, the mother's parents may in a civil action obtain appropriate relief, unless the pregnancy resulted from the plaintiff's criminal conduct or the plaintiff consented to the abortion.

(b) Such relief shall include:

(i) Money damages for all injuries, psychological and physical, occasioned by the violation of this section; and

(ii) Statutory damages equal to three (3) times the cost of the partial-birth abortion.

(4) A woman upon whom a partial-birth abortion is performed may not be prosecuted under this section for a conspiracy to violate this section.

SECTION 3. Section 97-3-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

97-3-3. (1) Any person wilfully and knowingly causing, by means of any instrument, medicine, drug or other means whatever, any woman pregnant with child to abort or miscarry, or attempts to procure or produce an abortion or miscarriage shall be guilty of a felony unless the same were done by a duly licensed, practicing physician:

(a) Where necessary for the preservation of the mother's life;

(b) Where pregnancy was caused by rape.

Said person shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned in the State Penitentiary not less than one (1) year nor more than ten (10) years; provided, however, if the death of the mother results therefrom, the person procuring, causing or attempting to procure or cause the illegal abortion or miscarriage shall be guilty of murder.

(2) No act prohibited in subsection (1) of this section shall be considered exempt under the provisions of subparagraph (a) thereof unless performed upon the prior advice in writing, of two (2) reputable licensed physicians.

(3) The license of any physician or nurse shall be automatically revoked upon conviction under the provisions of this section.

(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed as conflicting with Section 2 of this act.

SECTION 4. If any provision, word, phrase or clause of this act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the provisions, words, phrases, clauses or applications of this act that can be given effect without the invalid provision, word, phrase, clause or application and to this end, the provisions, words, phrases and clauses of this act are declared to be severable.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.