Tennessee to Criminalize "Abortion Trafficking"

Riley Sundew

Updated Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 11:11 AM CDT

Tennessee to Criminalize "Abortion Trafficking"

Tennessee is on the brink of becoming the second state in the U.S. to criminalize assistance to minors seeking abortions without parental consent. The state's GOP-dominant Statehouse has passed the bill, which now awaits the signature of Republican Governor Bill Lee—a staunch defender of Tennessee's abortion ban. However, the impending law is already facing promised court challenges from reproductive rights advocates.

The Tennessee bill outlaws anyone from "intentionally recruits, harbors, or transports" minors to obtain an abortion sans parental consent, with exceptions for ambulance and emergency services personnel. Violators could incur a Class A misdemeanor, potentially leading to nearly a year in prison. The bill's critics, including Democratic Rep. Aftyn Behn, argue that it unfairly targets those aiding vulnerable minors, particularly since it lacks exemptions for minors impregnated by r*** from their parents or guardians.

Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Jason Zachary introduced the legislation following a lawsuit by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who accused Planned Parenthood of facilitating minors' travel from Missouri to Kansas for abortions without parental approval. Bailey's lawsuit, which seeks to halt this alleged activity, was based on a video from a conservative group with a history of promoting false claims.

As Tennessee tightens its grip on abortion, California is taking a starkly different approach, carving out a role as a reproductive health haven in the post-Roe v. Wade era. Governor Gavin Newsom has launched an advertising campaign criticizing the Tennessee bill, as part of his broader efforts to establish California as a sanctuary for reproductive rights.

California's new legislation, introduced by Sen. Nancy Skinner and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, seeks to facilitate Arizona abortion providers to practice in the state, offering temporary authorization expedited by the bill. This move aligns with Newsom's vision following a report citing a 37% increase in abortion access in states neighboring those with bans.

The California bill, which includes privacy protections for medical professionals, allows Arizona doctors to perform abortions until the end of November under California's medical boards’ oversight. This swift action follows the Arizona Supreme Court's decision to enforce a near-total ban on abortions, a law dating back to 1864.

Newsom's bold strategies include reimbursing travel expenses for out-of-state individuals seeking abortions in California, a response to the restrictive laws in neighboring states. With the support of Newsom and the Democratic supermajority, which has a history of enacting pro-choice measures, the reimbursement and other related bills are expected to pass without significant hurdles.

The contrasting approaches of Tennessee and California elucidate the widening chasm in U.S. abortion policy, as states navigate the post-Roe landscape. While Tennessee moves to impose stringent restrictions, California's legislative actions aim to reinforce the state as a bastion of reproductive freedom, underlining the deepening divide on one of America's most contentious issues.

Conservative Bias:

Folks, what we're seeing in Tennessee is a valiant stand against the moral decay brought upon by the left's abortion-on-demand culture. The Volunteer State is heroically stepping up to protect the sanctity of life and the authority of parents, despite the relentless assault from the abortion industry and their Democratic enablers. These liberals want nothing more than to whisk away our daughters to abort their unborn children without a whisper to their families. Tennessee's bill is a beacon of hope, a bulwark against the liberal agenda that treats human life as disposable and undermines parental rights. Meanwhile, California's so-called sanctuary laws are nothing but a slap in the face to decency, a blatant invitation to evade the law and moral responsibility. Governor Newsom's campaign is a perverse advertisement for death, a sickening example of how far the left will go to ensure the killing of the innocent continues unabated. It's high time we applaud Tennessee for its courage and condemn California's radical, death-promoting politicians for their blatant disregard for life and family values.

Liberal Bias:

In the latest display of draconian tyranny, Tennessee's Republican-dominated Statehouse is shamelessly criminalizing compassion by targeting those who dare to assist vulnerable young women in exercising their reproductive rights. This is a blatant attack on personal freedoms, orchestrated by the GOP's relentless war on women. It's a law that punishes good Samaritans and leaves victims of i***** and r*** at the mercy of their abusers. And let's not ignore the vile hypocrisy here—while they claim to champion 'family values,' these conservatives are actually t****ling on the rights and welfare of the very families they pretend to protect. In stark contrast, California stands as a shining beacon of liberty and justice, with Governor Newsom leading the charge to defend reproductive rights in the face of oppressive, medieval-minded policies from neighboring states. California's bold actions to offer sanctuary and support to those in need underscore the state's commitment to human rights and dignity. The contrast couldn't be clearer: while Tennessee's GOP pushes us into a regressive, authoritarian nightmare, California's Democrats are fighting to preserve the fundamental freedoms that define our nation.

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