Media Contact

Candace Coleman, ccoleman@aclu-ms.org

May 17, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JACKSON, Mississippi - The Supreme Court announced today it would hear arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, in which the Center for Reproductive Rights is challenging a ban on abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy. 

Jarvis Dortch, executive director of ACLU of Mississippi, issued the following statement:

"If Mississippi politicians succeed at the Supreme Court, it will trigger an outright abortion ban in our state. Lawmakers that supported this ban should be up-front and honest about their goal. The 15-week and 6-week abortion bans were political vehicles to get the US Supreme Court to completely take away a person's right to make decisions about their own body. It’s disingenuous to claim that lawmakers were considering the health and well-being of patients when they considered these laws.

Legislators held zero public hearings and heard from zero healthcare experts about these bans, because restricting a person’s healthcare and rights was a political decision. The Mississippi Legislature and Governor Reeves continue to believe they can make personal decisions on the behalf of all Mississippians."