May 6, 2004: Breaking News - SJR127 - Call These Seven Representatives and tell them to vote NO on the vote to pull SJR127 out of committee to the House Floor

Dear Friends,

On Monday night, May 10 - Rep. Diane Black, one of the sponsors of SJR127 (resolution to amend the State Constitution to exclude abortion rights from the State's privacy guarantees) will call for a vote to pull SJR127 from the House Health and Human Resources Committee to the House Floor. She filed her petition this afternoon. Anti-choice legislators need 66 votes to suspend the rules and pull the bill from Committee. Then they need another vote on SJR127. We have identified seven legislators who need to vote NO to pull SJR127 out of committee. Even if you do not live in their district, call each of them throughout the weekend (that's what the anti-choice side is doing) and tell them to uphold the committee structure. It is important that calls begin tomorrow and go on through the weekend. It is crucial that these legislators hear from us - given the very intimidating anti-choice lobbying effort.

Legislators to be called are:

Rep. Frank Buck

Rep. Stratton Bone

Rep. Curt Cobb

Rep. Charlie Curtiss

Rep. Gene Davidson

Rep. David Shepard

Rep. John Mark Windle

Many thanks,
Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director

PS: Information on SJR127 and the procedure required to amend the State Constitution is below.

WHAT SJR127 DOES - This proposed constitutional amendment would exempt abortion from the privacy guarantees of the Tennessee Constitution. In the event of a Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade, this amendment would pave the way for abortion to be outlawed in Tennessee.

OTHER TALKING POINTS - It is VITAL that House Representatives hear from pro-privacy and pro-choice people. SJR127 jeopardizes privacy rights and undermines the integrity and the independence of the Tennessee Supreme Court whose jurisdiction it is to interpret the rights under the State Constitution. SJR127 also is an attack on the Tennessee Constitution and on Tennessee women.

PROCEDURE AND TIMING - The resolution has already been passed by the Senate.

If it passes the House during this session, it would be reintroduced during the first or second session of the 104th TGA (and have to pass by a 2/3 vote in both Chambers). Then the resolution would be placed on the state-wide ballot in 2006.