Image Credit: TN General Assembly & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Senator Richard Briggs’ (R-Knoxville-District 7) bill creating several loopholes for women to access abortions in the state is set to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, March 24.
Under Tennessee’s Human Life Protection Act, practitioner-facilitated abortion is currently permitted in Tennessee only if there is significant “threat” to the mother’s life.
But SB1425 would allow physicians to perform abortions involving “lethal fetal anomalies” and would remove liability from committing “the offense of criminal abortion” for these practitioners.
The legislation does not include any examples of ailments that would fall under the bill’s definition of these “lethal fetal anomalies” and also creates abortion allowances for conditions of the mother, like preeclampsia or diabetes, which though serious, would not typically cause a fatality to the mother or child and usually resolve after birth.
The bill’s language also uses misleading terms to make the words “abortion” and “miscarriage” interchangeable and synonymous. One such example is the bill’s provision which calls an unavoidable miscarriage, where the fetus has already passed in utero and must be removed, an “inevitable abortion”.
Briggs has publicly stated he wishes to “redefine abortion and redefine medically necessary termination of pregnancies” as he believes the Human Rights Protection Act is “flawed”. The Senator is quickly becoming notorious for being one of the most pro-abortion Republicans in the Assembly.
Tennessee Right to Life has previously revoked their endorsement of Briggs and has strongly opposed pro-abortion bills he has carried.
He was also recently exposed by The Tennessee Conservative for partnering with Planned Parenthood and the League of Women Voters to be a speaker at panel discussion on, “pregnancy complications, the law, and what you can do,” scheduled for Wednesday, March 26.
The House companion, HB1241, is also being carried by a Republican, Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes (R-East Ridge-District 30). It has been assigned to the House Population Health Subcommittee but does not currently have a set calendar date.
If you would like to express your thoughts on this bill, use the information below to contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee:
SB1425 Summary: As introduced, defines the terms “serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function” and “lethal fetal anomaly”; specifies that a physician does not commit the offense of criminal abortion if, under certain circumstances, the physician performs or attempts to perform an abortion to address a lethal fetal anomaly or a premature delivery of an unborn child with a lethal fetal anomaly.
Sen.todd.gardenhire@capitol.tn.gov, Sen.kerry.roberts@capitol.tn.gov, Sen.paul.rose@capitol.tn.gov, Sen.bobby.harshbarger@capitol.tn.gov, Sen.sara.kyle@capitol.tn.gov, Sen.london.lamar@capitol.tn.gov, Sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov, Sen.brent.taylor@capitol.tn.gov, Sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
