JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Lawmakers were working all day Tuesday to try and beat the clock before time ran out and when it did about 70 percent of all the bills filed, died in committee.
Among them, a controversial bill to establish life beginning at the moment of conception.
However, three abortion bills did make the deadline including the requirement of a woman to first acknowledge whether her unborn child has a heartbeat before having the procedure.
The bills author, Representative Andy Gipson says it's an important step.
"We think it will probably eliminate approximately 90 percent of abortions in the state of Mississippi," said Gipson, a Republican from Braxton. "So, yes, I think it'll make us a much more pro life state."
Reforming the state's pardon system also met it's demise.
Bills in both chambers were aimed to change the governor's ability to grant pardons after the controversy surrounding former governor Haley Barbour and his long list of pardon's including convicted murderers during his last days in office.
Meanwhile, some of the surviving bills are sure to remain just as controversial.
One of those is the one seeking to limit the power of the attorney general, allowing state agencies to hire their own legal council without having to go through the AG's office.
As the only Democrat in statewide office, Attorney General Jim Hood contends it's an un constitutional measure brought on by republicans.
"It's not a partisan issue for our office out there but obviously for many of the members of the legislature over here," said Hood when the bill first passed committee. "You know, they're feeling their new found power and they're going to use it."
Also still alive is a controversial house immigration bill modeled after Alabama.
It's authored by republican representative Becky Currie.
"This is just a way of saying you're welcome to live in our country, you're welcome to work in our country but be legal. That's all we're asking. Be legal," said Currie of Brookhaven, after she introduced the bill last month.
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