Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has signed a bill that would place greater restrictions on abortions and could make abortion a crime resulting in a prison sentence of one to ten years, if the U.S. Supreme Court ever overturns Roe v. Wade.

Roe v. Wade is the landmark case that legalized abortions in the US. In the event Roe were to ever be held invalid, the Missippippi law would ban most abortions, except for rape cases or circumstances when the pregnancy is life-threatening.

Some provisions of the new law will go into effect July 1st. These include tightening of minor consent laws and a requirement that abortion providers perform sonograms and provide pregnant women with the opportunity to view the ultrasound image and listen to the baby’s heartbeat, if audible.

Governor Barbour signed the measure on March 22, 2007.

See http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070322/NEWS/70322046