Mississippi politicians say the state’s birth rate is expected to increase now that nearly all abortions have been banned in the state, and they’re giving stump speeches at the Neshoba County Fair on how the state can improve the lives of families.
Attorney General Lynn Fitch shared her enthusiasm for the state’s success in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case in the U.S. Supreme Court. But she says there is more work to be done to support mothers.
Fitch says “One of the things we’ve got to do on the workforce and how we adjust to the flexible schedule and the nature of our growing workforce in Mississippi, paternity leave, maternity leave, flexibility, that is so key to our workforce, the growth of our state.”
Fitch also praised lawmakers for passing an equal pay bill this legislative session.
Speaker of the House Philip Gunn says this session he would like to address many of the hurdles Mississippians face during pregnancy and after giving birth.
Gunn says “We’re pulling together experts in the field of child support enforcement, healthcare, adoption, foster care and other areas to help us develop policies that we’re gonna pass this next year that will take care of these children that are going to be born.”
And Governor Tate Reeves says he would like the state to continue investing in crisis pregnancy centers.
“We passed the Pregnancy Resource Act to support these great charities and I believe we could do even more to connect moms to these critical services," says Reeves. "I’m eager to work with the Mississippi Legislature in the next year to do exactly that.”
Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann is pushing to extend post-partum Medicaid benefits from 6 weeks to 12 months, but both the Governor and Speaker say they oppose that position.
