CL – Anti-Abortion measure may be on 2011 Miss. ballot
Numerous other Republican politicians emerged from the Capitol across the street to join the rally.
Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant said when he first ran for public office he prayed for the chance to make a difference – beyond debating budgets and hunting laws.
Earlier this month, Personhood Mississippi filed a federal lawsuit against Hosemann and Attorney General Jim Hood seeking more time for circuit clerks to verify several thousand outstanding signatures.
There is a discrepancy in the interpretation of the law as to whether the group has one year to collect signatures, or one year to turn them in.
The lawsuit seeks to clarify a 1996 Mississippi attorney general’s opinion that says the one-year turnaround time also includes the names on the petition being certified by circuit clerks around the state.
Hosemann said that case will be moot if Personhood Mississippi turned in enough signatures Tuesday.
Getting an initiative on the ballot requires a minimum of 89,285 signatures, with at least 17,857 coming from each of the old five congressional districts that existed in the year 2000.
Clarion-Ledger
2/17/10
Magnolia Tribune
