Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed eight new laws on Wednesday aimed at supporting pro-life pregnancy centers, strengthening the foster care system, and making adoption easier.
Speaking at a signing ceremony, Reeves said the new laws represented the "next phase" in Mississippi's "pursuit to build a culture of life," adding that it "will not be easy, and it will not be free. But it is the right thing to do."
These new laws come after Mississippi successfully defended the right of states to regulate abortion at the Supreme Court, culminating in a landmark ruling last year that overturned Roe v. Wade, permitting states to restrict or ban the procedure.
With the new 15-week abortion ban, health officials have projected that up to 5,000 additional children will be born in Mississippi without the option for women to terminate their pregnancies.
The eight laws include a "foster parents bill of rights," which increases transparency for foster parents about their rights and responsibilities, a "baby drop-off law" that increases the age at that children can be dropped off at haven baby boxes, and a "path to permanency" legislation that grants the Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS) access to additional federal funds, making it a separate agency. The MDCPS will also receive its largest budget in state history.
Additionally, Senate Bill 2696 creates an income tax credit of up to $10,000 for adopting a child who lives in Mississippi and $5,000 for adopting a child from outside the state, while House Bill 1671 expands Mississippi's tax credit for donations to pro-life pregnancy centers across the state from $3.5 million to $10 million.
The governor has received a commendation from pro-life groups, with SBA Pro-Life America Southern Regional Director Caitlin Connors stating, "it's incredible to see how much ground Mississippi has covered in the course of a year to protect the unborn and serve their mothers in the Dobbs era."
Critics, however, have pointed to Mississippi's high fetal and infant mortality rates, the highest in the nation according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The governor did not mention these statistics during the bill-signing ceremony on Wednesday.
These laws will become effective on July 1.
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