Two Tennessee Republicans are seeking to impose the death penalty on women who have abortions, requiring the same penalties for women “involved in the homicide of her own unborn child” as defendants charged with homicide

An amendment drafted for House Bill 570/Senate Bill 738 that's not yet been voted on would allow prosecutors to charge women who obtain abortions with fetal homicide, punishable by life imprisonment, life without parole, or in some cases, the death penalty

Sponsored by Rep. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson, and Rep. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, the bill was referred to the House Population Health Subcommittee and is not yet on the calendar to be considered

The bill specifically removes legal protections for pregnant women currently in statute, and classifies harm done to an unborn child as equal to assault on a person "born alive"

It would not apply to “a spontaneous miscarriage,” or to “unintentional death of an unborn child” after “undertaking life-saving procedures” to save the life of the mother and “to save the life of the unborn child.” No other exceptions are specified in the amendment text

Retroactive prosecutions of women who were “involved in the assault of her unborn child” or “involved in the homicide of her own unborn child” before the bill goes into effect would not be allowed

If passed, the bill would take effect July 1

Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley endorsed the bill on Feb. 19, saying it would “provide preborn children with equal protection of the laws”[…]
Barrett and Pody's bill is also backed by the Foundation to Abolish Abortion[…]
Rep. Monty Fritts, R-Kingston, who has signed on to the bill as co-sponsor, and is running for governor, has repeatedly expressed support for imposing the death penalty on women who receive abortions