One of the top goals of dedicated Mississippi State Senator Sally Doty is, and has always been, to be a positive voice for change in the lives of children throughout the state. As such, Doty is devoted to decreasing Mississippi’s teen pregnancy rate, one reason why she was named as Chair of Governor Phil Bryant’s State and Local Action Committee for the Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Prevention of Teen Pregnancy, an honor she received in 2012.
As committee chair, Senator Doty wrote legislation in 2014 that required all public community and four-year colleges throughout the state to develop and submit a plan that would address the teen pregnancy issue. The bill, SB2563, was passed through the legislature, and was signed by Governor Bryant with Doty and others in attendance.
As Doty knows, taking steps to improve the state’s teen pregnancy rate can and does have a significant impact on numerous other often serious social issues throughout Mississippi, such as child poverty, absent fathers, child neglect and abuse, failure in school and poor preparation for joining the workforce. The economic costs of a high teen pregnancy rate are significant as well, as the costs associated with the issue were estimated to be over 137 million in 2010.
Before the 2014 legislative session, Senator Sally Doty made an appearance on the nationally-syndicated “The Doctors” TV program, where she discussed then-current legislation to prosecute older men who impregnate teenage girls.
“This is statutory rape and behavior that is unacceptable,” said Doty on the program. “These young girls have their lives totally changed with the birth of a baby, and law enforcement will make sure that the father’s life changes as well.”
As committee chair, Senator Doty wrote legislation in 2014 that required all public community and four-year colleges throughout the state to develop and submit a plan that would address the teen pregnancy issue. The bill, SB2563, was passed through the legislature, and was signed by Governor Bryant with Doty and others in attendance.
As Doty knows, taking steps to improve the state’s teen pregnancy rate can and does have a significant impact on numerous other often serious social issues throughout Mississippi, such as child poverty, absent fathers, child neglect and abuse, failure in school and poor preparation for joining the workforce. The economic costs of a high teen pregnancy rate are significant as well, as the costs associated with the issue were estimated to be over 137 million in 2010.
Before the 2014 legislative session, Senator Sally Doty made an appearance on the nationally-syndicated “The Doctors” TV program, where she discussed then-current legislation to prosecute older men who impregnate teenage girls.
“This is statutory rape and behavior that is unacceptable,” said Doty on the program. “These young girls have their lives totally changed with the birth of a baby, and law enforcement will make sure that the father’s life changes as well.”
