NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tempers are still hot between two groups that are typically in lockstep — Tennessee Republicans and the leading pro-life organization in the state.
It all stems from an effort by some Republicans to add exceptions to Tennessee's total abortion ban.
During the Population Health Subcommittee Tuesday, Tennessee Right for Life Legal Counsel Will Brewer testified about HB 883. It's common for lobbyist groups to give lawmakers scores based on topics they fight for. What isn't common — when "scoring" is mentioned in the middle of a meeting.
"And in discussions with our PAC, they have informed me they would score this negatively for those members that wish to vote for it," said Brewer.
Then something else uncommon happened — the Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton showed up, in person, to admonish Brewer.
"I’m down here because something happened that I’ve never experienced in my time down here," said Sexton on Tuesday. "You can have those conversations in your room. You can have those conversations in email. But to do it in a committee to try to intimidate this committee to go in a certain direction is uncalled for."
And it doesn't appear like either side has mended fences since it happened.
"I thought it was over the top. It was more, in my opinion as I said in committee, to intimidate members. And so, I wanted to show support for my members as they went through this that I support them in this. I supported the bill," Sexton told NewsChannel 5 on Thursday.
We asked Brewer if it was inappropriate for him to mention scoring in the subcommittee meeting.
"Chris, I don’t think it was inappropriate," said Brewer. "It was not a threat, it was not an intimidation. It was a clarification that this is how my organization views this bill, which was the question I was asked."
The proposed bill would change Tennessee's trigger abortion ban that would allow for the procedure if the health of the mother or child is in jeopardy. Brewer says ideally, they don't want to change the existing law, but left the door open to compromise.
"We’re happy to make some changes, happy to make some clarifications, just not the way this bill, House 883 is drafted currently," said Brewer. "It allows far too much latitude to bad faith performers doing terminations."
Lawmakers are considering other potential exceptions to allow for abortions like rape and incest. "I’m acceptable with rape and incest, that doesn’t mean that’s what we’re going to pass right? The wording has to be right for me to be there," said Speaker Sexton.
Tennessee Democrats would eventually like a total reversal of the abortion ban, but as another example of rare occurrences, they're standing by their Republican colleagues on HB 883.
"We don’t always get what we want, and compromise is necessary to achieve any level of progress," said Rep. John Ray Clemmons, the House Democratic Caucus Chairman. "In the spirit of bipartisanship and really trying to find some common ground, we supported that legislation and I hope it does pass."
Tennessee Democrats say they support the legislation that would institute abortion exceptions for rape and incest, but predictably, not Tennessee Right to Life.
"We’re opposed to that bill right now," said Brewer.
Tensions between Speaker Sexton and Tennessee Right to Life still appear to be frosty. Brewer said he and the speaker had a scheduled meeting Tuesday after the committee meeting but he canceled given the circumstances in the committee.
Brewer says they haven't spoken since then, but is open to picking up the conversation again.
