Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed House Bill HB 1390 Monday, requiring that all abortion clinic physicians be board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and have hospital admitting privileges, but the only abortion clinic in the state doesn't meet the requirements, the owner says.
For background, read Pro-life Legislation Floods America and also read Personhood Loses in Mississippi
UPDATE 7/13/12: Judge allows Miss. abortion clinic to remain open during its challenge of new law
-- From "Mississippi law may shut sole abortion clinic" By Robbie Ward, Reuters 4/16/12
Diane Derzis, the owner of Jackson Women's Health Organization, the state's only abortion-providing clinic, has said the law could shut down her business.
Just one of the three physicians who provide abortions at her clinic has admitting privileges, which allow doctors to refer patients to a specific hospital if further treatment is needed.
Derzis said area hospitals are reluctant to grant admitting privileges to physicians who perform abortions.
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From "Miss. governor signs abortion law" by MJ Lee, Politico 4/16/12
“I believe that all human life is precious, and as governor, I will work to ensure that the lives of the born and unborn are protected in Mississippi,” Bryant said in a statement after signing the legislation.
Derzis had accused Republicans of “hiding behind words like ‘safety’ and ‘women’s health’” while attempting to shutter her facility, and she also vowed to sue the state of Mississippi if the doctors at her clinic were unable to obtain admitting privileges. She could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Planned Parenthood was quick to condemn the new law. “Make no mistake, this law is based on a political agenda, not medical necessity,” Cecile Richards, the group’s president, said in a statement. “In yet another shortsighted attempt to ban abortion in Mississippi, Governor Bryant and lawmakers are putting their ideology above the health and safety of Mississippi women. This law is bad policy and endangers women’s health.”
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From "Mississippi adopts new abortion restrictions" by Richard Fausset, Los Angeles Times 4/17/12
The bill takes effect July 1. Derzis has said she will consider suing the state to suspend the law if her doctors are unable to comply.
Wayne Slocum, vice chairman of the Mississippi section of the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said doctors in private practice would still be able to perform elective abortions in the state.
However, Derzis' clinic is probably the only place where a woman can have the procedure, Slocum said. Other doctors object for moral reasons, or they are afraid of pressure from antiabortion groups.
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From "Miss. gov signs new limits on abortion providers" by Emily Wagster Pettus, Business Week 4/17/12
"Today you see the first step in a movement, I believe, to do what we campaigned on -- to say we're going to try to end abortion in Mississippi," Bryant said after signing the bill.
However, it's not clear that the new law will accomplish that goal. Doctors who do fewer than 10 abortions a month, or fewer than 100 a year, aren't required to have their offices regulated as abortion facilities.
The Mississippi State Department of Health website shows 2,297 abortions, listed as "induced terminations," were performed in the state in 2010, the most recent year for which statistics were available. Of that number, 2,251 were performed on Mississippi residents. The site does not specify how many were done at the clinic and how many in other offices or hospitals.
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From "Mississippi Genius: Non-Abortion Ban May Ban Abortions" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 4/17/12
Terri Herring of Pro-Life Mississippi talked with LifeNews about the genius behind the legislation and says botched abortions were what drove out the second-to-last abortion facility.
“The second to the last abortion clinic on Briarwood Drive in Jackson closed when the abortionist botched an abortion that led to the death of a young woman in Alabama,” Herring says. “Dr. Booker, the former abortionist at this last abortion clinic lost a recent medical malpractice lawsuit. The woman sued him after almost dying from abortion related injuries. She won the case and was awarded a judgment of over $600,000 that she is unable to collect because neither Booker nor the clinic carried any insurance.”
“Now we have out of state doctors who fly in and fly out without rendering proper care to Mississippi women. They do not currently have admitting privileges, but beginning on July 1st they must qualify or stop performing abortions,” Herring said.
“Abortion clinics regularly get by with lower standards of care because most physicians uphold their Hippocratic oath and refuse to perform abortions. Those who perform abortions are often not well qualified or held to the same standards as the rest of the medical community,” she said.
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