The legislation prohibits an abortion on any unborn baby who is determined to be able to survive outside the womb with or without medical assistance. An exception exists in the case of a medical emergency for the mother. The measure requires a viability test beginning at the 20th week of pregnancy and establishes a state presumption of viability at 24 weeks since the mother’s last menstrual period.

NASHVILLE (BP) — The Tennessee legislature has overwhelmingly approved a ban on post-viability abortions, drawing praise from the head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s ethics entity.

The House of Representatives voted 69-18 in favor of the Tennessee Infants Protection Act Wednesday (May 3), two days after the Senate passed the legislation in a 27-3 vote. The bill will go to Gov. Bill Haslam, who is considered pro-life but has not announced whether he will sign it into law.

The legislation prohibits an abortion on any unborn baby who is determined to be able to survive outside the womb with or without medical assistance. An exception exists in the case of a medical emergency for the mother. The measure requires a viability test beginning at the 20th week of pregnancy and establishes a state presumption of viability at 24 weeks since the mother’s last menstrual period.

Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, expressed his gratitude for the legislature’s action.

“No society can seriously call itself humane while 20-week-old unborn children are unprotected from the abortion industry,” Moore said in a written release. “We have much further to go as a government and as a culture in protecting the dignity of all human life, but this is a welcome step in the right direction.

“This bill is a common sense measure that will protect the unborn, mothers and families from deceptive and manipulative medical practices,” he said. “It deserves the support not only of those who identify as pro-life, but all who stand for dignity anywhere, and I look forward to this bill becoming law.”

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