Tennessee bill puts restrictions on minors traveling for abortion

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) — An abortion trafficking bill has passed the House and Senate in Tennessee and is now headed to the governor’s desk.

The bill, HB1895, only impacts pregnant minors.

This bill makes it a crime for an adult to take a minor to another state to have an abortion. The person who transported the minor to have the abortion could face criminal charges.

However, the parents of the minor can still take them out of state for an abortion. Additionally, the bill does not apply to a person who received a written, notarized consent from the minor’s parents.

This legislation would allow the parents or grandparents of the unborn baby to file a civil suit for wrongful death of an unborn child that was aborted.

It allows the aborted child’s mother, father or parents of the minor to file the civil lawsuit.

However, there are some restrictions in place.

If the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest, then the unborn baby’s father cannot file a civil suit.

The bill was revised to make the criminal act a Class A misdemeanor.

The Senate passed the bill on April 10, and the House passed it on April 23.

It is now awaiting Gov. Bill Lee’s signature.

The bill does not target adults attempting to leave the state for an abortion.