Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is poised to sign the nation's strictest abortion restrictions into law, and the state's only abortion clinic is preparing an immediate legal challenge.
The Republican has a Monday deadline to act on House Bill 1510 , which bans abortions after 15 weeks' gestation. Bryant says he will sign it, saying he wants Mississippi to be the "safest place in America for an unborn child."
The bill will become law immediately. Pregnancies from rape and incest are not exempted.
The only exceptions to the 15-week limit are if a fetus has health problems making it "incompatible with life" outside of the womb at full term, or if the woman's life or a "major bodily function" is threatened by pregnancy.
© Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.