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Tennessee Gov. promises to defend new pro-life law with “whatever it takes in court”

Jul 15, 2020

By Dave Andrusko

So as governor, you work for months with the legislature to pass a comprehensive, multi-pronged pro-life measure and the afternoon of the same day you sign bill into law, the usual suspects–Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union and other abortion rights groups—persuades a clearly-sympathetic U.S. District Judge William Campbell to grant a temporary restraining order. 

What is your response? What will you do to defend your law?

If you are Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, “whatever it takes.” You are gearing up for battle. The Associated Press’ Kimberlee Kruesi writes

“It’s very important that we defend and protect the lives of every Tennessean, one portion of the most vulnerable being the unborn,” Lee said during a news briefing. “That’s why we would make that decision to defend it.”

“We will defend it. Whatever it takes in court, we’ll defend it,” the Republican added when asked how much he was willing to spend on the looming legal battle as the state grapples with revenue hits caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

As we reported previously, Gov. Lee described the new law as  “arguably the most conservative, pro-life piece of legislation in the country.” Kruesi reminds us, “When he first unveiled the proposal in January, Lee stood with dozens of Republican lawmakers inside the Capitol touting the bill was a top priority for his administration.”

Here is a summary of the new law as compiled by  the Tennessean’s Natalie Allison.

 Abortions are banned except to save the mother’s life

  • If the doctor knows that the woman is seeking an abortion because of the child’s sex or race.
  • If the doctor knows the woman is seeking an abortion due to  a diagnosis of Down syndrome.
  • After the point a fetal heartbeat can be detected
  • For juveniles in custody of the Department of Children’s Services, including removing the current option to petition a judge for permission.

The legislation also 

  • “Require[s] that abortion clinics post a sign in the waiting room and in patient rooms informing people that it may be possible to reverse a chemical abortion.”

If the six-week ban is stricken, the legislation goes on to “automatically enact abortion bans at eight, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 weeks of gestation,” according to Allison.

Editor’s note. If you want to peruse stories all day long, go directly to nationalrighttolifenews.org and/or follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/daveha. Please send your comments to daveandrusko@gmail.com.

Categories: Legislation
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