A Tennessee lawmaker has proposed a bill that would require pregnant women seeking an abortion to first undergo an ultrasound procedure and then wait 24 hours before moving forward with a termination.
“My wife had three babies, and I’ve had the opportunity to see three ultrasounds,” Republican State Sen. Jim Tracy, who drew up the legislation,
told the Tennessean. “It’s pretty amazing to see the ultrasounds.”
Tracy’s proposal comes as he readies a 2014 challenge against Rep. Scott DesJarlais, a pro-life Republican doctor who made headlines when it emerged that he had urged his former wife to go ahead with two abortions.
If Tennessee passed Tracy’s bill, the Volunteer State would join eight other states that already have ultrasound requirements.
The proposed legislation has women’s rights groups gearing up for a legal battle.
“They’re trying to put more barriers in women’s path,” Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, told the Tennessean. “There is no medical need for any type of ultrasound mandate.”
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