Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed a series of “Culture of Life” bills on Wednesday giving pregnant mothers alternatives to abortion.
Reeves said the legislation was written to fortify the state’s adoption system and pregnancy resource centers.
In addition, it establishes a foster parents’ bill of rights, creates a task force set up to improve the adoption and foster care system, and increases the budget for the Department of Child Protection Services.
‘Culture of Life’ Bills
House Bill 510 revises the foster care placement program and sets up a foster parents’ bill of rights that calls for more accountability in the foster care system while preventing potential child exploitation and human trafficking.“The legislation increases transparency for foster parents, expands communication opportunities with professionals, and makes the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services personnel more readily available for foster parents,” Reeves said. “Additionally, it helps ensure that the educational needs of foster children are being met and provides access to available resources for parents.”
“This equips the agency with the resources needed to effectively carry out its mission and better support Mississippi children,” Reeves said.
“The legislation increases the age that children can be dropped off at these boxes, authorizes safety devices to be sponsored by emergency medical service providers, and authorizes any city or county to sponsor a baby safety device,” Reeves said.
“Mississippi will be relentless in its commitment to life,” Reeves said. “We will be relentless in our support of mothers and children. And we will be relentless in our efforts to advance the New Pro-life Agenda. The legislation I signed today is further proof that when it comes to protecting life, Mississippi isn’t just talking the talk – we’re walking the walk.”