Court Of Appeals Puts Fetal Heartbeat Law Into Effect
Tennessee’s 2020 law banning abortion at as early as 6 weeks is now in effect. On Friday, Secretary of State Tre Hargett had asked the federal 6th circuit court of appeals to make the 2020 law effective now after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade and sent the abortion issue back to the states. Earlier today the court of appeals vacated a lower court’s ruling that had blocked that law. The law that was passed by lawmakers in 2020 is known as the “fetal heartbeat” law as it bans abortion once a heartbeat is detected…that is usually at 6 weeks. Back in 2019, the state’s General Assembly passed what is known as a “trigger law”. That law states that if the US Supreme Court struck down Roe v Wade, a law would go into effect 30 days after that decision. That law makes abortion illegal upon conception…except in cases where the mother’s life is in danger.
It is now going to be up to the state to decide which law will be the official one, as in less than 30 days, both laws will be in effect which could lead to mass confusion.