TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Nov 2, 2022

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has published an opinion stating that the disposal of fertilized human embryos that haven’t been transferred to a woman’s uterus does not violate the state’s Human Life Protection Act and isn’t punishable as a “criminal abortion,” the Tennessee Lookout reports. The opinion goes on to clarify that the state’s new abortion law only applies when a woman is physically pregnant, which could indicate a shift for some in the legislature who believe life begins at conception. The article also notes that some state senators are considering filing legislation in the new year to change the Human Life Protection Act to potentially separate medical emergencies dealing with pregnancies from “elective” abortions. Such a move could enable doctors to treat women without facing the dilemma of being presumed guilty for performing an abortion or violating their oath to meet a standard of care for patients.