Tennessee abortion activists have launched a last-ditch appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to stop a voter-approved state constitutional amendment from taking effect.
In 2014, Tennessee voters added “Amendment 1” to the state Constitution. The amendment allows the state to pass abortion regulations and restrictions.
Just days after voters approved Amendment 1, a Planned Parenthood leader filed a lawsuit challenging Tennessee voters’ decision. In January, however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected the abortion chain’s arguments.
Now, abortion activists are turning to the U.S. Supreme Court with an appeal that they filed June 13, the Tennessean reports. Their lawsuit challenges the vote count as well as alleged discrimination against pro-abortion voters, according to the report.
“Tennessee’s pro-life movement won a watershed victory for the unborn in 2014, one that other states will try to replicate in the years ahead,” said Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life.
“Pro-life Tennesseans, however, must be resolute not only in our commitment to defending this victory, but also to being measured in the introduction of new laws that can’t yet be held as constitutional under existing court precedent,” he continued. “Equally important is the election of a pro-life governor and pro-life legislative super-majorities who understand where we’ve been as a movement, where we want to go, and how to best get there.”
Earlier this year, the Sixth Circuit told the abortion activists, “… it is time for uncertainty surrounding the people’s 2014 approval and ratification of Amendment 1 to be put to rest.”
Abortion activists, by fighting against the amendment, show that they want Tennessee to allow an unlimited right to abort an unborn baby for any reason up to birth.
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The amendment allows lawmakers to pass common-sense abortion regulations to reduce and limit abortions, as allowed under Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Such regulations may include a ban on late-term abortions on viable unborn babies, parental consent, informed consent and a prohibition on taxpayer-funded abortions – all of which have strong public support.
“Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion,” Amendment 1 states.
Tennessee voters approved the amendment by 53 percent.
