Tennessee lawmakers pass one of strictest abortion bills in the country

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) – Amid the Confederate bust controversy, social justice protests and Covid-19 issues, the Tennessee legislature easily passed what would have been a hugely controversial bill in another year.

It happened just minutes after midnight in the Tennessee Senate.

The bill bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

That is usually around six weeks and is often before a woman knows she is pregnant.

If signed into law, it would be one of the toughest abortion laws in the country.

The bill was not put on the Senate agenda and came up when Senators were debating budget issues.

Democrats complained that they were promised it would not come up for a vote in the Senate.

The vote passed on strict party lines.

It now goes to the Governor for his signature and he has supported the measure all along.

But before the Governor has even signed it, legal challenges have been filed.

Three organizations asked for a court injunction Friday afternoon against the bill as unconstitutional.