Abortion

Tennessee Will Put Anti-Abortion Constitutional Amendment to Voters

The state wants to amend its constitution to say that a woman's right to choose is not a right at all.

6/22/2011 Governor Bill Haslam signs SJR 127 Constitutional Amendment. Image Source

Looks like all of the states are working towards revising their constitutions to limit access to safe, legal abortion.  The latest?  Tennessee wants to time a constitutional vote on limiting access to abortion, coincidentally enough, with the gubernatorial election.

Via My Fox Memphis:

Known as SJR 127, it “proposes new provision to Article I to provide that nothing in the constitution of Tennessee secures or protects right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion; states that the people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”

It’s not exactly easy reading, but Parker said it equals a chance to add common sense to abortion laws.

She said it “primarily deals with some need to know information, informed consent, some things like knowing how far along a woman is in her pregnancy.”

But Joan Carr with Planned Parenthood of Memphis has a different take on it. “I think it would open the door to all sorts of legislation that would restrict access to abortion, and possibly outright ban them all together in Tennessee.”

And, of course, that outright ban would not include exceptions for rape, incest, or mother’s health.