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SJR127 Floor Vote May 2009
SJR127 will be voted on by all 99 members of the state House on Monday, May 18. This will be the third and final reading.
Unfortunately, many legislators still do not realize how extreme this Constitutional Amendment really is: SJR127 would eliminate any right to privacy in Tennessee's state constitution with regard to abortion. There are no exceptions, period. Not for rape, not for incest, and not even for the life of the mother.
Many legislators believe they must support SJR127 in order to win re-election. They say they do not hear from those who are opposed to its extreme provisions.
Now is the time for all 99 members of the Tennessee General Assembly to hear from you...................
While it seems likely that SJR127 will pass, we ask that you continue to contact your house representatives and tell them to vote NO.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Oppose SJR127
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am writing to urge you to oppose SJR127.
SJR127 will eliminate ANY right to privacy conferred by our state Constitution in regards to abortion - a legal medical procedure - without exception. Victims of rape and incest, and women whose lives are in danger because of a pregnancy, are not protected by this extreme amendment.
I urge you to consider the long-term effects of this legislation before casting your vote on Monday.
The proponents of SJR127 claim that without it, abortion cannot be regulated in Tennessee. There are currently laws in place to regulate abortion including parental consent and informed consent. State and federal bans on so-called partial birth abortions are also in place.
The number of abortions has been declining in our state and we can all agree that that is a GOOD thing. Let us focus our energy on preventing unwanted pregnancies therefore reducing the need for abortions.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
May 14, 2009
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SJR127 will be voted on by all 99 members of the state House on Monday, May 18. This will be the third and final reading.
When it passes this year by a simple majority vote - as is expected - and passes again during the next General Assembly by a two-thirds vote, what does that mean? It means that, if the public ultimately approves the Constitutional change and Roe V. Wade is ever overturned at the federal level, the Tennessee General Assembly will decide virtually everything about the right to an abortion for all the women in this state.
Unfortunately, many legislators still do not realize how extreme this Constitutional Amendment really is. SJR127 would eliminate any right to privacy in Tennessee's state constitution with regard to abortion. There are no exceptions, period. Not for rape, not for incest, and not even for the life of the mother.
Many legislators believe they must support SJR127 in order to win re-election. They say they do not hear from women who are opposed to it's extreme provisions.
History - In September 2000, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that several restrictions on abortion were unconstitutional and that the Tennessee Constitution afforded women a right to privacy regarding their right to seek an abortion. This proposed amendment, introduced by anti-choice members of the Tennessee General Assembly is an attempt to remove the right to privacy in the Tennessee State Constitution by subverting the Tennessee Supreme Court ruling.
What SJR127 does – This resolution is the first step toward amending the Tennessee State Constitution to take away the privacy protections pertaining to women seeking abortions. Were Roe v. Wade to be overturned, and our State Constitution to be amended, the right of women in Tennessee to obtain an abortion - a safe, legal medical procedure - would not be protected.
The Senate passed SJR0127 24 to 8 on 3/23/09. SJR127 is up for final reading & vote on the House floor Monday, May 18. While it seems likely that the bill will pass, we ask that you continue to contact your house representatives and tell them to vote NO. We will continue to fight for women’s right to privacy and reproductive freedom. We cannot give up on women, ourselves or the hope that our elected officials will do the right thing and vote NO on SJR127!
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plannedparenthood.org
