April 19, 2004: Privacy/Reproductive Freedom Legislative Update - Continued Contact Needed

Dear Friends,

Last week was a busy and difficult week for pro-choice supporters on Capitol Hill, and the fight is far from over. In the aftermath of SJR127 being voted down in sub-committee, Representative Phillip Pinion introduced a bill (HB3592) that places restrictions on abortion rights such as a mandatory 24-hour waiting period. The bill will be heard in the Public Health and Family Assistance subcommittee at 11:00 am on Wednesday, April 21 in Room 31, Legislative Plaza. This is the same sub-committee that voted down SJR127 just last week, but we anticipate less opposition to HB3592 because it has more support among House leadership.

ACLU opposes attempts by government to create obstacles to abortion services. For example, the "24 hour period of reflection" for women seeking abortion serves no purpose other than to make obtaining an abortion more difficult, dangerous, and expensive for the women who are least able to bear the burden of an unwanted pregnancy. The harm of such restrictions is felt most by those who have the fewest resources — poor women, minors, rural women, working women without insurance or sick leave, and battered women.

In addition, mandating delays implies that women who seek abortions do so without adequate reflection. In reality, almost all women have thought long and hard about their decision before they come to the clinic. We urge you to voice your opposition to HB3592 to your House Representative before Wednesday's meeting.

RE: SJR 127, after the bill's defeat in subcommittee, Rep. Mike Turner, the bill's House sponsor, filed a letter with Rep. Joe Armstrong, the chair of Health and Human Resources Committee, stating his intention to ask the full Committee to recall SJR127 from the Public Health Subcommittee. That has resulted in the recall motion being added at the end of this Tuesday's (April 20) House Health calendar. This motion would require that at least 12 of the 22 members of the Health Committee vote Aye to pull the resolution to the full committee. If that happens, SJR127 would be on the House Health calendar for consideration the following Tuesday, April 27, and would obviously pass since a majority of the committee wanted it considered. We need to continue to voice opposition to this bill prior to Tuesday's meeting. (contact info for full Health and Human Resources Committee below)

The current legislative assault on reproductive freedom is unrelenting. The anti-choice extremists and the legislators who support them will not stop until Tennessee women have no abortion rights whatsoever. We believe that is their ultimate mission. Pro-choice Tennesseans must step up at this crucial time and make their voices heard. Please contact your House representatives and voice opposition to HB3592 and SJR127.

Many thanks,
Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director

p.s. Please share this alert with your supportive friends and family.

CONTACT INFO:

Find your legislators: at www.congress.org or at the state website www.legislature.state.tn.us.

Members of Public Health and Family Assistance Subcommittee (contact information omitted for web):

** members who voted against SJR127

**Rep. Mary Pruitt, Chair

**Rep. Lois Deberry

**Rep. Sherry Jones

**Rep. Janis Sontany

**Rep. Beverly Marrero

Rep. Chris Crider

Rep. Dennis Ferguson

Rep. Tre' Hargett

Rep. Jason Mumpower