Bill > SB1189

This bill proposes significant changes to Tennessee's laws regarding reproductive rights and abortion. It establishes fundamental rights for individuals related to reproductive healthcare, specifically defining abortion as a medical procedure to terminate pregnancy and clarifying key terms like "viability" (the point at which a fetus could potentially survive outside the uterus). The bill explicitly states that every person has a fundamental right to make reproductive healthcare decisions, including using or refusing contraception, and that pregnant women have the right to continue a pregnancy or have an abortion before fetal viability or when necessary to protect the woman's life or health. Importantly, the bill declares that a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent legal rights under Tennessee state law. The legislation also prohibits state departments, agencies, and political subdivisions from denying, restricting, or discriminating against a person's reproductive healthcare rights. By deleting the previous section on criminal abortion and replacing it with these new provisions, the bill represents a significant shift in Tennessee's approach to reproductive healthcare legal protections.

Justice

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1189&ga=114