The Tennessee State Senate is considering legislation that would require abortionists to report on how they dispose of the remains of aborted babies, to ensure they are not illegally selling them for research.
“The problem is that no one in the Department of Health could say whether it’s happening or not in Tennessee, because we didn’t have the framework in place,” Republican Senator Kerry Roberts explained in support of the bill, SB 2568. “It’s really about the remains and how we’re handling the remains, so that they’re not sold.”
The bill comes as a reaction to undercover videos from the Center for Medical Progress revealing Planned Parenthood officials discussing not only the sale of aborted babies’ organs, but alluding to making a profit off of them illegally.
Another GOP Senator, Mike Bell, said he hopes SB 2568 would give his constituents “comfort to know that those horrible practices that we saw in the videos are not taking place in Tennessee.”
Last month, state GOP leaders withdrew legislation to directly bar the sale of fetal tissue. Tennessee Right to Life said it preferred to regulate tissue donations to prevent illegal profits instead.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to pass the bill on Tuesday. It still awaits floor votes.
