Tennessee Senate Committee Passes Proposal That Would Allow Greater Restrictions On Abortion

Tennessee's Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved 6-2 a proposal that would change the state constitution to allow greater restrictions on abortion, the AP/Tennessean reports. Abortion-rights opponents are attempting to change the state constitution after the state Supreme Court in 2000 ruled that said privacy protections in the state constitution offer greater protection for abortion rights than the U.S. Constitution. The court subsequently threw out several state restrictions on abortions, including a 48-hour waiting period for the procedure. The court also threw out requirements that abortion clinics provide detailed information about the procedure and that second- and third-trimester abortions be performed in hospitals, the AP/Tennessean reports. According to the AP/Tennessean, the proposal would have to pass this session and again in the next General Assembly before it could appear on the ballot in 2014.

State Sen. Diane Black (R), who is sponsoring the proposal, said it would "allow Tennessee to get back into a point of neutrality where the General Assembly can put some common sense protections back into our law." Opponents of the proposal argue that the government should not interfere with a woman's decision to have an abortion, particularly in cases of rape, incest or health concerns, the AP/Tennessean reports. State Sen. Beverly Marrero (D) voted against the resolution and said the state's constitution guarantees a woman's right to privacy. She said, "Nothing could be more private than a decision on whether or not to have a child. I think trying to force women to have babies they can't afford, they don't need, is just going to increase the number of abused and neglected children we have." State Sen. Doug Jackson (D) said he is a "pro-life legislator, but there are times where government shouldn't intrude." Jackson, who abstained from voting, said, "That's a decision for her and her family." He also proposed a failed amendment that would have allowed a woman "to terminate her pregnancy where it's necessary to save her life."

House Committee Holds Public Hearing on Abortion-Related Legislation

In related news, the state House Health and Human Resources Committee on Wednesday held a public hearing on abortion-related legislation, the AP/Tennessean reports. The committee listened to arguments from advocates on both sides of the issue and experts on women's health. Kimberly Looney, an ob-gyn and family planning specialist, said that despite the differing views on abortion, the "most important thing for us to focus on is that we have too many unintended pregnancies." Looney said, "Abortion is not the key to the problem," adding, "We need better education in terms of sexual health. We need better provisions and funding for contraception for women across the board regardless of what their socioeconomic status is" (AP/Tennessean, 3/12).

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