At a House Population Health subcommittee meeting Tuesday, members killed a bill that would allow abortion in cases of rape and incest, and in cases of a mental or physical medical emergency.
House Bill 1884/Senate Bill 1826, which would allow further exceptions to Tennessee’s strict abortion ban, is sponsored by Rep. Yusuf Hakeem (D-Chattanooga) and Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis). A similar bill from the duo (HB1729/SB1728) would allow exceptions for physical and mental health, incest or rape (though requiring the patient to report the offense to law enforcement), but Hakeem on Monday withdrew it from consideration. Exceptions for rape and incest were also voted down last year. A bill establishing a limited carveout for doctors performing abortions passed in 2023.
Hakeem said rape is a traumatic experience, and noted that it happens to minors too.
Rep. Yusuf Hakeem (D-Chattanooga)
“The humane thing for us to do is not to force the person to carry that child,” he said.
Many in the hearing room Tuesday held signs protesting HB1895, the “abortion trafficking” bill brought by Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville). The bill, which would create a criminal offense for an adult taking a minor out of state for an abortion, was rolled to the next committee meeting on Feb. 13.
Rep. Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville) responded emotionally to Hakeem.
“There are people, adults, children who are alive today who thank God every day that their mothers didn’t go and have them removed from their body,” Farmer said. “For you to come in this committee and say that every life that came from rape or incest is worthless, and meaningless and has no hope for meaning is just a false statement in my opinion.”
Rep. Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville)
Population Health subcommittee chair Michele Carringer (R-Knoxville) threatened to expel members of the gallery for interrupting Farmer’s comments. Several left willingly. Protesters on each side of the issue argued outside of the room following the event.
“Some minds were probably already made up,” Hakeem tells the Scene. “There is a national position that's been taken by particularly one of the parties. I think as a result of that, they're not giving enough weight to the value and worth of a woman, her life and that of our families. Hopefully in time, that will change.”
Additional abortion-related bills are set to be heard in the ongoing session. Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville) and Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) introduced a bill (HB2603/SB2613) allowing abortions for individuals younger than 13. Democrats put forth a symbolic bill that would legalize abortion entirely, while Sen. Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville) teased a bill allowing exceptions mainly for fatal fetal anomalies or conditions that affect fertility. Briggs confirmed to the Scene that Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) is set to sponsor the bill.
A House bill from GOP Rep. Debra Moody of Covington, which has yet to secure a Senate sponsor, requires district attorneys general to file a report on “potential criminal abortions.”
Another bill would require the state health department to publish information on reversing the effects of a medication abortion in additional languages. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, reversal is not supported by science.
