Image Credit: tn.gov & Blake Wylie / CC
The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
One Tennessee legislator is looking to keep local governments from being able to provide funding that would enable their employees to obtain abortions.
State Representative Debra Moody (R-Covington-District 81) filed House Bill 0090 this week. If passed, the bill would make it unlawful for any local government to give money to help “a person in obtaining an abortion.”
The current law, which went into effect last year after being passed in 2019, makes abortions illegal within the state. It does not, however, prohibit assistance being given to someone who is attempting to have an abortion outside of the state.
The summary of Moody’s bill states, “As introduced, prohibits governments from expending funds for the purposes of assisting a person in obtaining an abortion.” – Amenda TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 8.
Moody is no stranger to anti-abortion legislation. She previously introduced a new law that prohibits school systems from contracting with organizations that provide abortions or make referrals for abortion procedures.
Tennessee’s abortion ban is likely to be a hot topic during the new legislative session. Many health professionals across the state have expressed concerns over portions of the law that could potentially lead to physicians being prosecuted for performing the procedure.
Some Republicans have voiced that they would be open to considering the addition of exceptions to the law, while others have remained staunchly supportive of the law as written.
Democrats have already introduced two bills that would add exceptions, but it is more likely that a bill from a Republican would carry more weight among the legislators.
Senator Ken Yager (R-Kingston-District 12) stated last month that he was planning to sponsor a bill that would outline explicit exceptions for medical professionals.
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History. Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
