Healthcare (Women's Health)

SB 194, the "Unborn Child Protection Act of 2025," bans the mailing or delivery of abortion-inducing drugs into Tennessee. It defines "abortion-inducing drugs" as medications intended to terminate a pregnancy (like mifepristone or misoprostol used for that purpose), excluding drugs like misoprostol prescribed for stomach ulcers. The bill creates strict civil liability, requiring anyone who mails/delivers such drugs into Tennessee and causes an unborn child's death to pay $5 million in damages. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting drug distributors, pharmacies, and medical providers handling these medications.

HB 1241 defines two medical scenarios where a physician performing an abortion is not considered to commit criminal abortion: (1) when preventing maternal death or a "serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function" (e.g., preeclampsia, but excluding mental health conditions), and (2) when addressing a "lethal fetal anomaly" (a condition diagnosed before 24 weeks that is incompatible with life outside the womb). For lethal fetal anomalies, the bill requires two physician concurrences in writing, documentation of perinatal care options offered to the patient, and specifies that abortions or premature deliveries must be performed to avoid fetal demise or maternal health risks. The law applies to licensed physicians in licensed facilities and amends multiple Tennessee Code sections related to women’s health.

HB 1217 would repeal Tennessee's criminal abortion laws and establish a fundamental right to abortion before fetal viability (when a fetus can survive outside the womb) or when necessary to protect the pregnant person's life or health. The bill directly affects pregnant individuals in Tennessee by removing criminal penalties for abortions meeting these criteria and defining "reproductive health care" to include abortion services. Key provisions include banning state interference with these rights, defining "viability" based on a physician's medical judgment, and clarifying that a fetus has no legal rights under Tennessee law. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 39, 63, and 68 to implement these changes.

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.