Tennessee Right To Life Supports Amendment To Bill That Originally Would Have Weakened Human Life Protection Act

Image Credit: Tennessee Right To Life

Press Release –

NASHVILLE, March 13, 2023 – Tennessee Right to Life is in support of Senate Bill 983 sponsored by Senator Yager as amended by Amendment #005051. We have maintained throughout this session that we would work with legislators to clarify the Human Life Protection Act without weakening it, and that is what this amendment does. It would explicitly clarify that treatments of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriages are in no way considered criminal abortions under the Human Life Protection Act, and it would change the affirmative defense to an exception for those times when the mother’s life is in danger.

Furthermore, by using an objective standard, it assuages EMTALA concerns by the Attorney General while also ensuring proper care is given to both the mother and the baby.

As opposed to other bills that have been filed and/or presented this year, the clear and succinct language in this amended legislation helps doctors and patients without creating unnecessary exceptions or deleting large sections of pro-life laws in the Tennessee Code. Pro-life legislators and pro-life Tennesseans can be confident that these changes will not weaken the intent of the legislation that was passed in 2019 to protect the right to life of all unborn children in our state.

Tennessee Right to Life would like to thank Governor Lee, Lieutenant Governor McNally, and Senator Yager for working with us and pro-life legislators to ensure the best possible clarifying language for the amendment to this bill. We thank them for standing with us in defense of the Human Life Protection Act and for believing, as we do, that clarification is possible without weakening the law. We are hopeful that House members will join in support of the amended version of SB983.

This amended language will protect the integrity of the Human Life Protection Act and allow Tennessee law to continue to protect our most vulnerable citizens. We encourage members of the General Assembly to support this legislation.

Senate Bill 0983 summary (prior to amendment) : As introduced, limits the offense of criminal abortion to only apply to elective abortions; defines elective abortion as any abortion that is not medically necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman. – Amends TCA Title 37; Title 39; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

Incorporated in 1975, Tennessee Right to Life is the state’s oldest and largest pro-life advocacy organization. We are a non-profit, non-sectarian, volunteer-based organization affiliated with the National Right to Life Committee in Washington, D.C. and made up of local county chapters throughout Tennessee.

Tennessee Right to Life exists to promote public respect for the dignity of every human life especially those threatened by abortion, infanticide, partial-birth abortion, assisted suicide, or euthanasia. TRL advocates the protection of human life without regard to age, handicap, condition or social position.

Tennessee Right to Life is committed to effectively advocating the protection of human life through educational outreach, passage of protective legislation and the development of an informed, active grassroots movement statewide. Additionally, members of Tennessee Right to Life assist in providing direct and tangible resources to women and families facing difficult or unexpected pregnancies.

Members of Tennessee Right to Life represent a broad cross section of Tennessee’s growing population and include persons of diverse religious, ethnic, economic and political backgrounds working together to promote and restore societal respect for all human life.