FEDERAL JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF TENNESSEE ABORTIONISTS: ELECTIVE SURGICAL ABORTIONS MUST BE RESUMED DURING PANDEMIC

Elevating non-essential elective surgical abortions above every other procedure in Tennessee, Federal District Judge Bernard Friedman ruled late Friday that Governor Lee's Executive Order 25 prohibiting non-essential surgeries threatens the so-called abortion right of women in Tennessee.

Abortion profiteers including ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Choices of Memphis, Knoxville Center for Reproductive Health, and Dr. Looney joined with the unlicensed Boyle abortion center in Bristol to demand a return of surgical abortions which appeared to have been temporarily halted across the state. However, chemical RU486 abortions had continued unabated and account for roughly 40% of all abortion procedures.

Judge Friedman writes, "Delaying a woman’s access to abortion even by a matter of days can result in her having to undergo a lengthier and more complex procedure that involves progressively greater health risks or can result in her losing the right to obtain an abortion altogether. Therefore, plaintiffs have demonstrated that enforcement of EO-25 causes them irreparable harm."

"In terms of balancing the harm to others, plaintiffs argue convincingly that the irreparable harm they would suffer without injunctive relief, which includes violation of their constitutional rights, “vastly outweigh[s]” any “temporary reduction of PPE” resulting from the enforcement of EO-25."

Even worse, the pro-abortion Judge has indicated a willingness to block the 48 hour waiting period and the state ban on use of telemedicine for dispensing RU486 without a woman being seen by a physician.

On Monday, March 23, Governor Bill Lee issued  Executive Order Number 18  regarding essential and non-essential medical services. In essence, the Order serves to define what services should remain available during the present health crisis. Common sense and a clear reading make plain that elective abortion procedures are non-essential.

Right now Tennessee Right to Life and other concerned citizens call upon our state government to place the health and safety of unborn children and abortion-vulnerable women above the profit motives of abortion facilities. Non-compliance will result in the deaths of unborn children and compromise the health and safety of women and families. First responders and health care workers are also placed in unnecessary danger.

Please contact Governor Bill Lee and urge him to specifically declare abortion as  non-essential healthcare  immediately. 

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT GOV. LEE

Clicking on the link will take you to Governor Bill Lee's website. You will need to complete the webform and add your request in the 'Comments' section.

After years of focused efforts by pro-life lawmakers and principled leadership by Governor Haslam, Tennessee successfully implemented policy in 2011 which has resulted in millions of tax dollars being re-directed away from Planned Parenthood facilities in our state. Under Haslam's direction, an administrative process was established which prioritizes public health departments to receive the public funds appropriated for family planning programs rather than private non-profit organizations such as Planned Parenthood. Prior to 2011, Planned Parenthood affiliates in Tennessee received more than $1.1 million dollars annually.

HB 2262 by Rep. Bill Dunn / SB 2494 by Sen. Jack Johnson will make this administrative policy permanent by codifying it in state law.

• Strengthens current law enacted in 1973 regarding post-viability abortion

• Requires viability assessment after beginning of 20th week of pregnancy (LMP) to measure gestational age, weight, or other factors to determine viability

• Defines viability in state law

• Establishes presumption in TN law that an unborn child of at least 24 weeks gestation (LMP) is viable

• Constitutional under current U.S. Supreme Court doctrine

• Mirrors 2011 Ohio statute which is in effect and has never been challenged