Tougher regulations regarding the treatment of the remains of aborted babies are set to go into effect on Friday. This latest pro-life initiative is due largely to the leadership of Governor Bill Haslam, explains Tennessee Right to Life. “The proposed policy was introduced by the Haslam administration as a priority last January in order ‘to strengthen accountability and transparency for surgery centers performing abortion.’”
That Gov. Haslam would be in the forefront is to be expected. When I asked Tennessee Right to Life to highlight his leadership, I was told it included signing into law
- Unborn Victims of Violence Act (2011)
- Ban on dispensing abortion pills by telemedicine (2011)
- Required hospital admitting privileges for abortion providers (2012)
- Informed consent (2015)
- 48-hour waiting period (2015)
- Required inspection and licensure of abortion facilities (2015)
- Ban on the trafficking of human fetal remains (2016) (public bill
- Signed informed consent required of mother regarding the disposal/disposition of fetal remains (2016)
In addition, Gov. Haslam publicly supported passage of pro-life Amendment 1 in 2014, which NRL News Today has written about on numerous occasions. His Attorney General Herbert Slatery has defended the constitutionality of Amendment 1 upon challenge from Planned Parenthood as well as in a separate lawsuit in federal district court challenging informed consent, waiting period, admitting privileges and regulation of abortion facilities.
“We at National Right to Life know what a leader he has been in the Volunteer State,” said NRLC Co-Executive Director Darla St. Martin. “Gov. Haslam not only initiates and signs pro-life bills into law, his administration also vigorously defends those laws when Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortionists challenge them in court.”
Strongly supported by Tennessee Right to Life and passed overwhelmingly by members of the General Assembly, the new law strengthens existing policy by specifically prohibiting the offer or acceptance of payment for remains of an aborted child including any reimbursement for transfer, shipping or handling of fetal remains. The legislation was passed in April by overwhelming margins.
“Pro-life Tennesseans salute Governor Haslam, his administration and members of the General Assembly,” said Cathy Waterbury, Legislative Liaison for Tennessee Right to Life.
