Gov. Bill Haslam on May 8, 2015 signed into law a measure that requires Tennessee abortion providers to meet stricter standards as outpatient surgical care treatment centers, the Times Free Press reports.
But while there was no announcement from the Republican governor or pro-life advocates, the new law that takes effect July 1 swiftly drew criticisms from a national abortion-rights group.
Nancy Northup, president and CEO at the Center for Reproductive Rights, charged that Tennesseans’ approval last fall of a new state constitutional amendment allowing more abortion restrictions “opened the door for Tennessee politicians to begin demonstrating their hostility to women’s constitutional rights and indifference to their well-being, and now they have marched right through.
The law now requires all abortion providers, including physicians, that perform 50 or more abortions a year to be regulated as ambulatory surgical treatment centers. That subjects them to new building requirements, which critics say will lead to closure of some clinics that can’t afford multimillion dollar tabs to come into compliance.
Proponents say it is needed for women’s safety.
(If abortions are allowed, they need to be regulated for safety. Some women are seriously hurt, or even die, from botched abortions.)
Times Free Press story: New Tennessee law requires stricter abortion clinic standards | Times Free Press.
Tennessee Right to Life story: http://tennesseerighttolife.nationbuilder.com/common_sense_protection_signed_into_law
