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No matter where someone lives, what they look like, or what they believe, they should have the freedom to decide if, when, how, and with whom they start or grow a family. 

Today, that freedom has been ripped away by some politicians who have passed extreme laws such as Tennessee's "abortion trigger ban" - the most extreme abortion ban in the country. It hurts our families and puts lives in danger.

The state makes abortion a class C felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison for medical professionals, without exceptions. This means people have to leave the state to seek the care they need, even in emergency situations.

Pregnancy, reproductive, and abortion care should be accessible for all Tennesseans, but instead, some politicians have made it harder for people to end their pregnancies and carry them to term. Recent data shows that:

• People living in a state, like Tennessee, that banned abortion after Dobbs were up to three times more likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth, or soon after giving birth.
• Babies born in states with abortion bans like Tennessee were 30% more likely to die in their first month of life.
• Maternal mortality nearly doubled between 2018 and 2021.
• Black women were almost 3x as likely to die in pregnancy, childbirth, or right after giving birth as white women.
• Black babies were more than 2x as likely to die in their first month of life as white babies.

Tennessee's extreme abortion ban hurts our families and criminalizes pregnancy outcomes. Everyone, no matter their race, class, or whether they live in a city or a rural area, should be able to access the healthcare and support they need in their own communities, including high-quality pregnancy care, pediatric care, and abortion care.

Tennesseans deserve the freedom to access this care, the freedom to decide if, when, and how they raise their children in safe, supportive, healthy, and loving communities, and the freedom of interference from politicians and discrimination.