The Tennessee House passed a bill Thursday codifying access to birth control and fertility treatments in the Volunteer State, despite opposition from dozens of House Republicans.
The Fertility Treatment and Contraceptive Protection Act codifies legal protections for accessible family planning resources in the state of Tennessee. This includes contraceptives like birth control and Plan B, as well as procedures like in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and artificial insemination.
The bill does not permit any activities or procedures that are not already legal – such as abortions – nor does it prevent the state legislature from regulating the IVF industry later down the line.
Speaking on the House floor, the bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Iris Rudder of Winchester, argued it’s important to protect resident’s legal rights to access these family planning resources.
“I stand with women in this state, and with families in this state, that want the ability to have these precious babies that they may not have an opportunity to have otherwise,” Rudder said.
Rudder also pointed out that the Tennessee Medical Association and other health organizations were in support of the bill.
The bill passed the House floor with a 54-37 vote following lengthy discussion and debate. All of the dissenting votes were from Republicans – including four women.
Rep. Susan Lynn, a Republican from Mt. Juliet, said there is no need for this bill since there are currently no proposed bans on fertility treatment or contraceptives.
“It is entirely possible that [in] a future General Assembly, someone might propose that,” Lynn said. “But we're not. We have not proposed banning any of those things, IVF or contraceptives. And women today are free to do that, and nobody has proposed doing that. That's why this bill isn't necessary.”
Last year, Tennessee Republicans voted down a similar piece of legislation, arguing that the codification of access to IVF and birth control were not necessary given that such resources are already legal in the Volunteer State.
A few House Republicans did speak in favor of the bill, despite nearly half of their party members voting against it. Rep. Johnny Garrett of Goodlettsville said that one of his daughters “wouldn’t have been born” without fertility treatments like IVF.
Another representative, Republican Sabi Kumar of Springfield – a practicing physician – also voiced his support for the bill, saying IVF and other similar treatments are a “great gift from science and a great gift from God.” He said that these treatments can be conducted in a “respectful” and “godly” way that adheres to the legislature’s pro-life principles.
The bill now heads to the Tennessee Senate for a final procedural vote before it can be passed on to Governor Bill Lee for his signature.
