Thread by @ashtonpittman

NEW: "The Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act" failed twice in the US Senate in 2018 and 2020. It didn't even get a vote.

But in Mississippi this week, a state version is headed to Gov. @TateReeves' desk after passing #MSLeg unanimously in both houses. 1/ mississippifreepress.org/9924/dignity-f…

If @TateReeves signs it, The Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act will:
•Prioritize placing incarcerated mothers within a certain distance of their children
•Provide female hygiene products for indigent women
•Limit use of restraints on pregnant women 2/ mississippifreepress.org/9924/dignity-f…

The Dignity for Incarcerated Act won the support of every Democrat and every Republican in the Mississippi Legislature and has the support of state orgs across the spectrum including @EmpowerMS and @ACLU_MS. #MSLeg 3/ mississippifreepress.org/9924/dignity-f…

"Allowing mothers to be in close proximity to their young children and access to visitation can promote good behavior, better post-release outcomes, and reduce recidivism rates,” says @EmpowerMS, a libertarian-leaning pro-criminal justice reform org.
mississippifreepress.org/9924/dignity-f… 4/

If signed, The Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act will:
•Allow new mothers to spend 3 days with newborns
•Eliminate restrictions on the number of dependent children with visitation privileges
•Allow at least 2 visitation days for children per week mississippifreepress.org/9924/dignity-f… 5/

Children of incarcerated parents who are allowed visitations "have increased cognitive skills, improved academic self-esteem, greater self-control and change schools much less often," according to findings lawmakers cited. 6/ mississippifreepress.org/9924/dignity-f…

If you appreciate our issues-focused coverage in Mississippi, please consider giving a one-time or recurring donation to support non-profit journalism.

For more on what's going on at #MSLeg, follow @MSFreePress and State Reporter @NickJudin. mfp.ms/donate