House Concurrent Resolution 80

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 3 OF THE MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, BY CREATING A NEW SECTION 32A TO PROVIDE THAT THE RIGHT TO LIFE IS THE PARAMOUNT AND MOST FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF A PERSON WITH A CERTAIN EXCEPTION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE RIGHTS TO AUTONOMOUS BODILY INTEGRITY AND TO PRIVACY DO NOT EXPLICITLY OR IMPLICITLY INCLUDE THE RIGHT TO ABORTION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE WORD "PERSON" APPLIES TO ALL HUMAN BEINGS FROM CONCEPTION TO NATURAL DEATH; TO SPECIFY THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS SECTION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendment to the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 is proposed to the qualified electors of the state:

Amend Article 3 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 by creating a new Section 32A to read as follows:

     "Section 32A. (1) The right to life is the paramount and most fundamental right of a person; however, a person may be required to forfeit his or her life after being convicted of a crime that is punishable by death and being sentenced to death.
     (2) The rights to autonomous bodily integrity and to privacy do not explicitly or implicitly include the right to abortion.
     (3) With respect to the right to life guaranteed in this section, the word "person" applies to all human beings from conception to natural death. As used in this section, the word "conception" means the earliest stage of development of a human being.

(4) This section shall have no effect on:

(a) Contraceptives or other methods of birth control that do not kill a person; or

(b) In vitro fertilization or other methods of assisted reproduction that do not kill a person; or

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this proposed amendment shall be submitted by the Secretary of State to the qualified electors at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2012, as provided by Section 273 of the Constitution and by general law.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed constitutional amendment provides that the right to life is the paramount and most fundamental right of a person with a certain exception; provides that the rights to autonomous bodily integrity and to privacy do not explicitly or implicitly include the right to abortion; provides that the word "person" applies to all human beings from conception to natural death; and specifies the activities that are not affected by this section."