Tennessee lawmakers defeat abortion bill protecting mother’s life

A Tennessee House panel rejected legislation Tuesday that would have allowed doctors to end a pregnancy to save the life of the mother without facing criminal charges.

The Republican-controlled Population Health Subcommittee voted 8-2 against HB179, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Yusuf Hakeem of Chattanooga, keeping it from moving to the full Health Committee.

The measure would have allowed physicians to perform abortions in cases of rape and incest without the threat of a felony charge under the state’s restrictive abortion law.

The vote came after a young woman testified that she was conceived in rape.

“I recognize that these situations are unimaginably painful,” she said. “But ending the life of an unborn child does not undo the violence that was done. It creates another loss, another life ended.”

Hakeem told the panel his bill “creates narrow, clearly-defined exceptions for the most tragic situations.” Responding to questions, he said the bill wouldn’t require women to end pregnancies in cases of rape and incest.

“When we’re talking about the life of the mother, I don’t think we take it as seriously as we should,” Hakeem said.

He described a Louisiana case in which a woman was forced to carry a dead fetus to term and a situation in which a Tennessee woman had to be carried by ambulance for six hours to another state where she could receive treatment.

Republican lawmakers, though, appeared swayed by the woman’s testimony.

Rep. Paul Sherrell of Sparta said he believes life begins at conception and told the young woman he appreciated her courage in speaking to the committee.

“Your mother done [sic] the right decision,” he said.