Tennessee State Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Create Penalty For Abortion Trafficking

A Tennessee state representative introduced a bill this week that would make it a crime for an adult to provide an abortion to a child by providing her with an abortion pill or facilitating the abortion in any way.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) and allows for civil action “against a person committing the offense of abortion trafficking of a minor for the wrongful death of an unborn child that was aborted,” according to a summary of the bill.

“Tennessee has the strongest pro-life laws in the country. We have saved over 10,000 babies since this law has been enacted. There are those who are trying to find ways to circumvent the law in an effort to facilitate abortions for minors. This legislation has been drafted to address challenges to similar proposals in other states, but most importantly, it will protect vulnerable unemancipated minors from those who wish to facilitate the abortion of the minor’s baby without the guardian or parent’s knowledge,” Zachary told The Daily Wire.

In a video posted to X, Zachary said that Tennessee is a pro-life state and the legislation was needed to stop people who wish to circumvent the laws of the state.

“I was involved in a situation personally within the last year and a half regarding a minor who unbeknownst to her guardians was being taken for an abortion by an adult without their consent. This particular piece of legislation addresses that,” he said, adding that the state would do everything possible to protect unborn babies.

Tennessee has the strongest pro-life law in the nation. There are those circumventing the law by preying on pregnant minors without their parents/guardians knowledge.
We’re going to stop it.
It’s HB 1895. pic.twitter.com/4hiqTKDbkz

— Rep. Jason Zachary (@JasonZacharyTN) January 23, 2024

The bill is co-sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth and sponsored by Republican state Senator Paul Rose.

A draft of the legislation says that an “adult commits the offense of abortion trafficking of a minor if the adult recruits, harbors, or transports a pregnant unemancipated minor within this state” for the purpose of an illegal abortion.

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The bill also includes a provision stating that a prohibited activity would include an adult “obtaining an abortion-inducing drug for the pregnant unemancipated minor” for an illegal abortion.

This is a significant provision, as recent studies have shown that abortion pills are being mailed into conservative states from Tennessee to Texas for abortions.

Tennessee Democrats have already come out strongly against the legislation, including State Rep. Aftyn Behn who claimed it was an “insult to actual trafficking survivors.”