Governor Reeves on plans for supporting Mississippi women and children in wake of Roe v. Wade

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves fielded questions from local reporters Thursday on his plans for the state following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The governor praised Mississippi’s role in ending the Constitutional right to an abortion but now, Governor Reeves says he wants to focus on creating a “culture of life.”

“When we talk about creating a culture of life, it’s about investing in our child protection services agencies. It’s about investing in adoption and making it easier for those moms to have their child but if they can’t or do not want to keep them, to put them up for adoption so that other loving families can find a forever home for these young people,” he says. “It’s about investing in crisis pregnancy centers, which we have done already. I signed legislation earlier this year.”

Governor Reeves says they will be spending over $50 million in 2022 on improvements to the state’s child protective services agency.

The governor was also asked about Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens and District Attorney for the 6th Judicial District Shameca Collins signing a joint statement saying they will “refrain from prosecuting those who seek, provide, or support abortions.”

“I fully expect that every elected leader is going to make sure that they follow the law in Mississippi,” he says. “They take an oath of office to do that, and I expect them to honor their oath. And if they’re not going to honor their oath, they need to do something else.”