ACTION ALERT:

Vote NO on HB1895

Creates criminal charges against adults who assist minors to access out of state medical abortions or access abortion-inducing drugs

HB1895/SB1971 would establish criminal charges against an adult, other than a parent or guardian, who assists a pregnant minor in traveling out of state for obtaining an abortion or for obtaining an abortion-inducing drug.

Talking points:

• This bill prevents social work, health and mental health professions who are trusted by youth and their families from carry out their professional duty to provide compassionate and non-judgmental support for youth in crisis.
• Sexual assault victims may need the help of trusted adults outside the family if their assaulter is a family member. A Dept. of Justice report states that 34% of reported cases of sexual assault are family members.
• Pre-teen and teen pregnancies are associated with significantly higher medical complications including: low birth weight, pre-term birth, increased risk of birth trauma due to small pelvis size, maternal anemia, eclampsia, emergency cesarean delivery, and postpartum depression. These complications are even worse in children, 10-14.  While we want to think such pregnancies are extremely rare, it is not.  In 2018 alone, 87 girls ages 10-14 were impregnated in Tennessee.

Before 3 p.m. CST  on Tuesday, February 6:

Note: If your representative is on the House Population Health Subcommittee, urge them to vote NO on HB1895. Be sure to identify yourself as a constituent. At the time of this writing, Rep. Hemmer has already confirmed that he is voting against this bill.  Thank him for his vote.

House Population Health Subcommittee

League of Women Voters of Tennessee
https://www.lwvtn.org/