KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Lawmakers from Nashville and Memphis were in Knoxville on Friday for a conference highlighting a proposed bill that would protect reproductive health care access across the state.
The bill, HB 1626, is otherwise known as the Fundamental Right to Reproductive Health Care Act. As introduced, it would remove several restrictions on reproductive health care treatments while also formally declaring that "every person has a fundamental right to make decisions about the person's reproductive health care, including the fundamental right to use or refuse contraceptive procedures or contraceptive supplies."
The bill would also formally declare pregnant people have a fundamental right to continue their pregnancy and give birth, or to seek abortion care.
"A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights under the laws of this state," the bill also said.
The lawmakers were joined by advocacy organizations in Knoxville on Friday.
"This piece of legislation is really thinking about the health care that we deserve, going back to these things being our human rights, and currently we don't have access to the resources when it comes to pregnancies," said Briana Perry, the interim executive director of Healthy and Free Tennessee. "Not having access to abortion is connected to not having access to maternal care, and all these other things."
The House version of the bill was introduced by Rep. Aftyn Behn (D - Nashville) and the Senate version was introduced by Sen. London Lamar (D - Memphis).
"Abortion access is something that matters to communities across the entire state. This is something that there is support for across party lines. All different types of families, all different types of folks — this issue really, really resonates with people," said Claire Gardner, the Community Engagement Director for the ACLU of Tennessee. "I hope people recognize that there are communities working on this issue at a time that feels very dire for our freedoms."
The bill is expected to be discussed in the Population Health Subcommittee in the House, and in the Senate Judiciary Committee.