NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A newly proposed bill would make it illegal for minors to cross state lines to get an abortion.
Planned Parenthood said the bill is especially dangerous for young women who are in abusive households.
The bill creates a criminal offense for what it calls "abortion trafficking" against anyone who helps a minor get an abortion in another state where it is still legal.
In 2019, the most recent year with available data, 211 girls sought to end their pregnancies in Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. Of those 211, 14 of those pregnancies fell into the age demographic of 10 to 14 years old, according to state data.
NewsChannel 5 found numbers from 2018 as well, showing the difference in underage abortions and births. That year, 236 girls between the ages of 15 to 17 years had abortions but 1,192 had babies.
"Targeting trusting adults, family members, and helpers who assist minors in accessing abortion will have a chilling effect and is dangerous and irresponsible. If you know a minor who miscarries, you're a potential suspect," said said Ashley Coffield, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi.
Planned Parenthood went on to say legislation like this spreads fear and stops people from seeking help, but it will continue to do everything to get people the care they need.
Carrie recommends:
Growing your family, no matter the journey to get there, is an emotional one. My heart aches for these families who trusted a Nashville fertility clinic with their dreams and finances. Hannah McDonald's relentlessness to find answers is journalism at its best and hopefully a new avenue of hope for the patients caught up in this mess.
-Carrie Sharp
