Some people considered the Tennessee ‘trigger’ abortion ban bill dead, but it may have new life next week, said State Rep. Ron Gant, R-Rossville.
Gant told The Tennessee Star Thursday he made a motion to recall it in the House Health Committee.
House rules permit legislators to recall bills that subcommittees have already acted upon.
As The Associated Press reported last month, a House subcommittee blocked the measure in a 4-3 vote.
Gant, however, updated The Star on the matter.
“We use this rule to recall House Bill 1029, and we took that vote Tuesday to recall it and it passed a majority,” Gant said.
“So, this coming week it will be heard in our full Health Committee for a vote, and from there it will go to the House floor for a vote.”
Gant said he talked with other committee members, and they all seem supportive.
The bill, as Gant describes it, prepares Tennessee for what might happen if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. In that 1973 case, members of the U.S. Supreme Court ruled state laws that banned abortions were unconstitutional.
The proposed ‘trigger’ law also considers what would happen if there is a Constitutional amendment that would return the matter back to the states.
“If one of those two things take place then it reverts back to prior 1973 law and effectively makes Tennessee law prior to Roe v. Wade,” Gant said.
According to The AP, State Senate Republicans prefer the ‘trigger’ bill to what is known as the “Heartbeat Bill.”
The “Heartbeat Bill” would block abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, or around six weeks into pregnancy, according to The AP.
“While the heartbeat ban overwhelmingly passed the Tennessee House earlier this year, Senate Republicans have warned it raises too many legal concerns and instead they prefer the so-called ‘trigger’ bill to advance,” The AP reported.
“According to the Senate, this would give enough time for Tennessee to see how other states handle legal challenges to heartbeat ban measures. Most recently, GOP Senate Speaker Randy McNally told reporters he doesn’t want to enact legislation that would result in the state in the ‘losing side’ of a court battle.’”
Gant said legislators will review the “Heartbeat Bill” during summer study.
“We will be committed to bringing that bill back next year, and hopefully pass it next year,” Gant said.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
