Bill > HB616

This bill amends Section 97-3-5 of the Mississippi Code of 1972 to significantly strengthen restrictions on abortion-related medicines and activities. The legislation changes existing law by expanding prohibited actions to include manufacturing, marketing, mailing, distributing, transporting, and delivering medicines or instruments intended to cause an abortion that is prohibited in the state. The bill elevates the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony, increasing penalties from a potential fine of $25-$200 and up to three months in county jail to a more severe punishment of $1,000-$10,000 in fines and two to five years in the Department of Corrections' custody. The language specifically targets not only the sale and distribution of abortion-related medications but also extends to advertisements, printed materials, or verbal information about obtaining such medicines. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025, signaling a stringent approach to regulating abortion-related pharmaceuticals and information dissemination in Mississippi.

Health and Social Services

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/HB/HB0616.xml