Mississippi lawmakers consider bill to restrict abortion medication prescriptions
Mississippi House lawmakers are considering a bill that would criminalize the prescription of medications used to induce abortion. The legislation, introduced as an amendment to a drug trafficking bill, aims to prevent drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol from entering the state, according to Rep. Celeste Hurst, a Republican from Sandhill.
The proposed law would impose at least one year in prison on prescribers who intentionally prescribe these medications for abortion purposes. Hurst told Mississippi Today that currently, there is no oversight on these drugs, which can be shipped to anyone in the state. She expressed concern about misuse, saying, “Anyone, male or female, could fill out a form and have that drug shipped to them.”
Legal experts warn the legislation could have a chilling effect on healthcare providers. Mary Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California at Davis, said that because intent is difficult to prove, doctors might become hesitant to prescribe these medications for non-abortion medical uses, such as treating miscarriages or postpartum hemorrhaging.
Mississippi already has a near-total abortion ban, but residents continue to order pills online from states where abortion remains legal. Experts note that the proposed law is unlikely to impact out-of-state providers, especially given shield laws in 22 states and Washington, D.C., that protect providers from out-of-state investigations or lawsuits.
Following the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision, which overturned the federal right to abortion, many women in Mississippi have used mail-order abortion pills. A 2020 study found that Mississippians requested abortion pills at a higher rate than residents of any other state through an online telemedicine service.
In 2024, Louisiana passed a similar law restricting access to abortion medication. Dana Sussman of Pregnancy Justice said the law has created fear among healthcare providers, leading some to practice drills and store medications under lock and key. Hurst emphasized that the law would only criminalize abortions, not the prescribing of medications for other medical purposes, though experts warn that enforcement could extend beyond lawmakers’ intentions.
The bill has been sent back to the House for further consideration, with lawmakers able to advance it to the governor or negotiate further with the Senate.
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