The Quickie: Lawmakers In Oklahoma, Tennessee Try To Ban Travel For Abortion
For Immediate Release: Jan. 24, 2024
Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. You can read “The Quickie'' online here.
In today’s Quickie: Oklahoma and Tennessee introduce “abortion trafficking” bills.
LAWMAKERS IN OKLAHOMA, TENNESSEE TRY TO BAN TRAVEL FOR ABORTION: With abortion already completely banned in their states, lawmakers in Oklahoma and Tennessee are looking for new ways to stop people from getting abortions. That includes criminalizing assisting young people leave the state for care, similar to an Idaho law blocked by a federal court last year. The bills, OK SB 1778 and TN HB 1895, call offering support to young people “abortion trafficking” in an attempt to inflame emotions and mislead the public about what exactly the bill would do.
“Most minors involve a parent in their decision to get an abortion," Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi CEO Ashley Coffield told the Tennessean. "But for young people living in abusive households, disclosing sexual activity or pregnancy can trigger physical or emotional abuse, including direct physical or sexual violence, or being thrown out of the home. This bill makes criminals out of trusted adults, including other family members, who can help in these circumstances.