Tennessee Senate passes anti-abortion amendment

The Tennessee State Senate passed 24-9 a joint resolution starting the process to amend the state constitution to read "nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion."

This amendment would overturn the 2000 state Supreme Court decision in Planned Parenthood v. Sunquist, which held that "a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy is a vital part of the right to privacy guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution," and that "the right is inherent in the concept of ordered liberty embodied in our constitution and is therefore fundamental."

The Tennessee constitution is very difficult to amend. Both chambers of the General Assembly must pass the resolution in two separate votes over the course of two years, and then the matter must go before the voters. Even then, this proposed amendment is not a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade as is South Dakota's recently passed law.

Still, this is not a development I like in my home state.