HATTIESBURG, MS — Planned Parenthood of Alabama, Inc. (PPA) applauded members of the Mississippi House for standing up for the health and safety of Mississippi teens by passing HB 234, a bill that would create a comprehensive sex education pilot program.

"The passage of HB 234 is a victory for women and families in Mississippi. We are happy that the legislature is finally taking a common sense approach to dealing with the problems of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections in our state," said Felicia Brown-Williams, PPA Vice President of Public Affairs and Director of their Mississippi Public Affairs program.

Brown said further, "With Mississippi at the top of the rankings for teen births, gonorrhea and Chlamydia infection, it is time that we move past treating this as a political issue and look at these problems for what they truly are – a threat to the health and safety of our communities."