ACLU urges Gov. Lee to veto ‘abortion trafficking’ bill; Planned Parenthood consults attorneys for next steps

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The ACLU has sent a letter to Governor Bill Lee urging him to veto the so-called “abortion trafficking” bill passed by the state legislature during the last week of the session.

“This bill harms young people’s ability to access the support of those they trust when they need it most and is an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment right to free speech and expression,” wrote ACLU of Tennessee Policy Director Bryan Davidson.

A spokesperson for Lee told News 2 in a statement, “The Governor reviews legislation once it reaches his desk.”

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If signed, HB 1895 Tennessee would be the second state to pass a law that makes it illegal for an adult to help a minor get an abortion if the minor does not have parental consent.

State Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) sponsored the legislation and said on the House floor this is about making sure parents have the right to determine whether their child undergoes an abortion.

“We are not litigating abortion we’ve already done that. That’s settled in this body,” Zachary said.

However, part of ACLU’s issues with the bill is that it does not provide, “consideration for pregnant teens in abusive family environments where disclosing pregnancy status may create a
risk of physical or psychological harm.”

Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom

On Monday, Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi held a news conference with reporters to give their reaction to the legislative session.

Idaho has a similar law on the books, but Planned Parenthood CEO Ashley Coffield said that while Tennessee’s was modeled after Idaho’s, it’s more confusing.

“Will it change anything at Planned Parenthood? We’re not sure yet. You know, we’re in consultation with our lawyers about how to comply with the law if we need to comply with it or whether we can challenge the law,” Coffield said.

Coffield went on to say the organization will continue to provide abortion information to anyone who asks, but she is not sure they can help minors travel to get an abortion anymore as they do for adults.

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“One option is to continue to give minors all the information that they need to understand that abortion is still legal in nearby states, and to refer them to other Planned Parenthood affiliates or other navigation services outside of Tennessee that can pick up where we leave off,” she said.

If signed, the law will go into effect July 1. It does include exemptions for emergency medical personnel.

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