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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
A bill which would increase civil liabilities for abortion pill providers and distributors to deter the already illegal practice of sending abortifacients through the mail into the state has passed the Senate and is set to be heard by the House Health Committee.
On the surface, HB0005/SB0149 appears to deal solely with increasing compensation amounts for civil actions. But some amendments to the bill would build create standing to more people than just the mother of a child killed via an abortion pill and would increase the possible amount to recover at trial to $5 million.
The bill states it would increase the amount of compensation an injured plaintiff in a civil action may receive for noneconomic damages from $750,000 to $1.5 million and raise that number from $1 million to $2 million in cases of catastrophic injury or loss.
But pro-life protections are added through two amendments, one from each chamber. The Senate amendment, which passed as part of the Senate’s passage of the bill last year, expands the criteria for “catastrophic loss or injury” to include the “wrongful death of an unborn child at any stage of gestation in utero when an abortion-inducing drug is sent directly to a patient by a defendant, courier, delivery, or mail service.”
Current Tennessee law already prohibits the sending of abortifacients through the mail, but enforcement has been almost nonexistent as Tennessee women are increasingly relying on out-of-state telehealth providers to obtain the abortion pills and blue-state shield laws protect the practitioners and suppliers.
The House amendment builds on the Senate version’s momentum by placing abortion via pill by mail under those categories exempt from the current $750,000 limitation (or $1.5 million if the bill passes) for damages for civil suits under the “catastrophic loss or injury” section law.
It also creates standing for wrongful death suits by the mother or other relations and allows compensatory damages up to $5 million if a baby dies because of an abortion-inducing drug that was sent through the mail, thereby potentially further protecting unborn children and acting as a legal deterrent to those who produce or distribute the abortion pills.
HB0005, sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood-District 61), has already passed several House committees and just has to clear the House Health Committee before it can proceed to the full House floor. The bill was scheduled to be heard by the committee on Tuesday, Jan. 27, but all General Assembly activities were cancelled this week due to inclement weather.
The bill will likely be reset on the committee’s calendar when the legislature returns next week. In the meantime, to contact the members of the House Health Committee with your thoughts on HB0005, use the information below.
Rep.bryan.terry@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.shaundelle.brooks@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.john.ray.clemmons@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.esther.helton@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.caleb.hemmer@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.timothy.hill@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.brock.martin@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.sam.mckenzie@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.bo.mitchell@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.paul.sherrell@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.bryan.terry@capitol.tn.gov; rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov; rep.shaundelle.brooks@capitol.tn.gov; rep.kip.capley@capitol.tn.gov; rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov; rep.john.ray.clemmons@capitol.tn.gov; rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov; rep.ron.gant@capitol.tn.gov; rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov; rep.esther.helton@capitol.tn.gov; rep.caleb.hemmer@capitol.tn.gov; rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov; rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov; rep.timothy.hill@capitol.tn.gov; rep.sabi.kumar@capitol.tn.gov; rep.susan.lynn@capitol.tn.gov; rep.brock.martin@capitol.tn.gov; rep.sam.mckenzie@capitol.tn.gov; rep.bo.mitchell@capitol.tn.gov; rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov; rep.paul.sherrell@capitol.tn.gov; rep.ron.travis@capitol.tn.gov; rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov; rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
