A bill headed for both the House and Senate floors names some instances in which an abortion could be legal in Tennessee to preserve the life of the mother. The legislation’s opponents say the bill is designed to absolve the state’s attorney general from a lawsuit. 

In action, the bill would not add any exceptions to allow for abortions, sponsor Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro) clarified during the final House Health Committee meeting Tuesday. Instead, Terry said, it would specify some cases in which an abortion could fall under the state ban’s sole exception of “serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of major bodily function.”  The key word is “could.” 

John Ray Clemmons

Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) 

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