Abortion - As introduced, specifies that the offense of criminal abortion does not include an abortion that was necessary due to a medical emergency affecting the physical or mental health of the pregnant person or performed on a patient whose pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 15; Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 179 modifies Tennessee's criminal abortion law by adding exceptions that exempt certain abortions from criminal prosecution. It specifies that performing an abortion is not a crime if it is necessary to protect the pregnant person's physical or mental health, or if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest (as defined in Tennessee law). The bill amends Title 39, Chapter 15 of Tennessee Code, reclassifying such abortions as non-criminal under these specific circumstances. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting licensed physicians performing abortions and pregnant individuals in these defined situations.