Tennessean.com:

[doeriver]

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20081124/NEWS0201/811240355/-1/NLETTER01?source=nletter-news">Tennessean.com: Shift aids pro-life measure in Tenn. Amendment faces a long road despite GOP House control

Tennessee may be a solidly conservative state boasting the second-highest concentration of evangelical Christian voters in the nation, but because of a 2000 state Supreme Court ruling it provides some of the strongest abortion protections in the nation.

In a report this year, the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights said Tennessee was one of 10 states where abortion rights would still be protected if Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

But with Republicans now in control of both the Tennessee House and Senate, pro-life and pro-choice forces said they expect to see the successful start of at least a seven-year effort to pass a constitutional amendment that would offer a way to work around the state Supreme Court's ruling.

"I feel confident that it'll pass both houses," Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey said of a measure to specify that nothing in state law would explicitly protect abortion rights. "It passed the Senate four times, there shouldn't be a problem."

Despite the chances of passing a constitutional amendment this year, the road to passing new abortion restrictions in Tennessee would be a long one. A constitutional amendment would have to first pass the 2009-10 legislative session by a simple majority. Then it would have to pass both chambers again by a two-thirds majority in the 2011-12 session. Finally, it would require statewide voter approval in 2014 to enable lawmakers to begin working on laws to restrict abortion no earlier than 2015.

Jeff Teague, president of Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee, acknowledges that the amendment is likely to pass in the next legislative session, though he suggests that such an action might help galvanize pro-choice forces to prevent further progress of the amendment in future sessions.

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[quidam56]

1. Health care in Tennessee is pretty screwed up..

See what a hospital in East Tennessee defends as acceptable standards of care in East Tennessee. http://www.wisecountyissues.com The East Tennessee Health Care Licensing Board says although it's "horrifying" it's perfectly acceptable. Stay away from Tennessee if you get sick !