There are two pieces of legislation currently being debated in the Tennessee General Assembly that are of great concern, specifically SB 3323 and SB 3412 and it is essential to the well-being and safety of all Tennesseans that they are defeated. These bills will be voted on Monday, April 23, 2012 and we must act quickly.

SB 3323, the “Life Defense Act of 2012,” is blatantly unfair to uninsured and underinsured women. It also interferes and attempts to regulate the reproductive rights of families. Despite its outward appearance, this bill has nothing to do with the safety of women and everything to do with restricting access to reproductive health services. Families need to be allowed to determine their reproductive issues without interference from the state. A practitioner does not need to have hospital privileges to help families’ make their reproductive decisions.

SB 3412, as introduced (according to the bill summary found on the TN General Assembly website) revises definitions of fetus as victim for a criminal homicide and assaults to remove viability requirement and include an embryo, which could result in imprisonment. Supporters claim that this is a simple case of clarifying an existing piece of legislation but opponents see it as something different. This bill opens the door to all sorts of future legislation, such as the personhood bills introduced in Virginia, Oklahoma, and Mississippi that would effectively outlaw all abortions and most birth control, as well as create an environment where a mother could face criminal charges for miscarrying.

The women of Tennessee deserve equal access to health services as well as safety from the fear of persecution should they be faced with the personal tragedy of miscarriage. Women are not only capable of understanding the intricacies of their reproductive health, but of making positive choices for themselves and their families and creating space where women have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as men should be our priority.

Tennessee has a proud history regarding women’s rights and shouldn’t have that history tarnished by becoming the next big battlefield in the war on women. Please sign the petition to defeat these bills and spread the word.

Thank you for your time and your dedication to the well-being of all people.