NOTE: The hearing that was held last week produced just what I had hoped it would: Gaps in the abortion process that could be addressed. So grateful that these Senators are following up on the information revealed and suggesting some things that could and should be done. I hope you will thank these Senators and you might want to politely let the Governor (or 615-741-2001) know that you support their efforts.
Joint Government Operations hearings revealed inadequate safeguards
NASHVILLE - In response to a Joint Government Operations Fact Finding Hearing on August 19, 2015, State Senators Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield), Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), Dolores Gresham (R-Somerville) and Paul Bailey (R-Sparta) have issued a request to Governor Bill Haslam to enact emergency rules for abortion providers.
It was revealed during the hearings that safeguards to prevent the illegal selling of fetal body parts or tissues are inadequate or non-existent. It was also revealed that the Tennessee Department of Health has no investigative authority over the illegal selling of fetal body parts or tissues.
"As legislators, we strongly request that our state agencies step up their efforts to make sure abortion clinics are not illegally profiting from the slaughter of unborn children," said Senator Beavers.
Senator Roberts added, "During the hearings, it became obvious the Tennessee Department of Health cannot provide Tennesseans any assurance whatsoever that illegal selling of aborted baby parts is not taking place."
In response, the Senators requested Governor Haslam take three immediate steps:
• enact emergency rules to provide a "chain of custody" from the procedure until the disposal of the remains;
• expand the Abuse Registry to include an abuse hotline for the reporting of illegal activity at abortion clinics; and
• authorize an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation into whether and to what extent abortion clinics are engaged in
activities that violate Tennessee state law.
Further, the Senators pledged to file legislation giving the Attorney General investigative and prosecutorial authority over illegal selling of aborted fetal parts, organs and tissues.
"Safeguards need to be in place at all abortion clinics so the immoral and illegal practice of selling organs and tissues cannot and will not occur in Tennessee," Senator Bowling said.
Senator Gresham said, "It is easy to say that the abhorrent practices shown in the Planned Parenthood videos are not happening here, but that is a terribly naive belief given the history of Planned Parenthood. We must investigate."
"The disturbing videos cannot be ignored. The fact is that illegal activity could be taking place in Tennessee so we are calling upon the Governor to take action," Senator Bailey concluded.
Anita Wadhwani, awadhwani@tennessean.com 5 p.m. CDT August 24, 2015
Five GOP lawmakers on Monday asked Gov. Bill Haslam to step in immediately to order a series of emergency rules to govern how the state's abortion clinics dispose of fetal remains.
In a three-page letter to the governor, the senators also asked the governor to authorize an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation into Planned Parenthood and the state's other abortion providers to "determine whether and to what extent these clinics are engaged in activities in Tennessee that violate state law."
The letter follows the release of a series of undercover videos shot by the Center for Medical Progress, allegedly showing Planned Parenthood executives discussing the sale of aborted tissue. Officials with Planned Parenthood's national organization have denied that such sales happen, noting that the network of clinics does accept payment for storage and transportation costs, but makes no profit from such transactions.
In Tennessee a 1989 law bans the sale of aborted tissues. Jeff Teague, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee, said that neither of Planned Parenthood's surgical abortion clinics in Tennessee - there is also a clinic in Memphis - participates in any tissue sale or donation program, but rather contracts with a company that disposes of the remains.
"It seems to be this is a solution in search of a problem," Teague said. "We have repeatedly said we do not nor have ever participated in any fetal tissue donation programs."
The clinics contract with an EPA licensed facility to properly dispose of any medical materials, Teague said.
And an investigation by TBI would "find there has been nothing done that is illegal. ... It's ultimately going to be a huge waste of taxpayer dollars," Teague said.
Republican lawmakers in Tennessee and elsewhere have kept the spotlight on the issues raised in videos by the Center for Medical Progress, which itself is subject of a Department of Justice investigation.
Last week, lawmakers held a "fact-finding hearing" to determine what Tennessee does to enforce its existing ban on the sale of such remains.
The hearing left many Republican lawmakers unsatisfied.
"During the hearings, it became obvious that the Tennessee Department of Health cannot provide Tennesseans any assurance whatsoever that illegal selling of aborted baby parts is not taking place," said Sen. Kerry Roberts, R-Dickson.
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Myra Simons, President, YES on 1 Campaign, The 15 year Journey to Life
Cameron Sheppard, State Winner of TN Right to Life Speech, 'Let Us Bring Hope'
One State Aims to Ban Down Syndrome Abortions NOTE: This is the first time I have heard of such an effort. While I doubt this would stand up in court, it is nice to see come attention being paid to this sad situation. My only granddaughter is Downs and it is painful to know that so many babies with Downs are being killed. These prenatal 'diagnoses' are not always accurate, so along with millions of others, healthy babies are dying too.
Ohio women, take note: Soon you may be unable to get an abortion if you're doing it to avoid having a baby with Down syndrome. The state's legislature-most of which is pro-life-appears poised to approve such a bill this fall and send it to Gov. John Kasich. He has signed abortion restrictions before, reports the New York Times, though it notes he hasn't stated his stance on this bill. "We all want to be born perfect, but none of us are, and everyone has a right to live, perfect or not," says Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life, which lobbied for the bill. "Pretty soon, we're going to find the gene for autism. Are we going to abort for that, too?" As it stands, an 2012 study in Prenatal Diagnosis found that fetuses diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted between roughly 60% and 90% of the time.
But abortion-rights lawyers say the bill doesn't jibe with Roe v. Wade and gets us closer to seeing the fetus as a person with its own rights. Indeed, an Ohio legislator who supports the bill says that "this isn't an issue about abortion-it's an issue of discrimination" against people with Down syndrome, the Huffington Post reports. Some critics doubt that such a law can be enforced, and note that a 2013 North Dakota law banning abortion in all cases of fetal genetic problems (including Down syndrome) has led to no prosecutions
