Representative Gene Newman, R-Pearl, says you can’t advertise to sell cocaine – and abortion should be the same.
“It’s as simple as this. You can’t advertise to sell cocaine. You can’t advertise to sell anything that’s illegal. And that’s all this does. If something is illegal, you cannot advertise for it.”
But other lawmakers disagree.
Newman’s bill, House Bill 31, would prohibit the advertisement of abortion in Mississippi. It has been assigned to the House Public Health and Judiciary B committees.
Public Health Chair Sam Creekmore IV, R-New Albany, said that although he is pro-life, he doesn’t believe anything restricting advertisement should be written into law. He plans to kill the bill.
“I’m pro-life, but we have civil liberties and rights,” Creekmore said. “We advertise for what some people think are not good things. We respect the rights of free commerce and civil liberties. I don’t think that should be something we legislate.”
Creekmore said he met with Newman because “when people have bills, I like to hear their side.”