NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Two opposing bills filed ahead of the upcoming legislative session show the debate over abortion in Tennessee is far from over.
The first bill would create a civil penalty for mailing abortion pills into the state if they result in the death of an unborn child, while the other would enshrine abortion as a right.
Republican Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) filed a bill Monday called the "Unborn Child Protection Act of 2025," which would hold any individual or entity who mails abortion pills into Tennessee, resulting in an unborn child's death, liable for $5 million in damages.
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"The bill addresses a problem that we've got right now in Tennessee where you have manufacturers and distributors who are mailing abortion pills into Tennessee, despite the fact that it's unlawful to do that," Rep. Bulso said.
Rep. Bulso told News 2 unborn children are already protected under Tennessee's wrongful death statute. His bill would add a civil penalty to the existing criminal penalties under the statute.
"One, it would serve as an additional deterrent for manufacturers or distributors or others of abortion pills from breaking the law and sending abortion pills into Tennessee, and then secondly, it would provide a needed civil recovery for the loss of the life of the unborn child," Bulso said.
Shortly after Bulso filed his bill, Democratic Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) filed a bill called the "Reproductive Freedom Act," which would reverse Republicans' restrictions on abortion in Tennessee by granting pregnant people the "fundamental right" to an abortion.
"What we're seeing now is a trend of politicians denying or interfering in these fundamental rights, so the bill is to stand as a testament to the vision that we want to see in Tennessee in terms of reproductive freedom," Rep. Behn said.
Rep. Behn's bill would also declare that "a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights under the laws of this state," a stark contrast from Rep. Bulso's bill, which says "an unborn child is entitled to the full and equal protection of the laws that prohibit violence against any other person."
"I think it's emblematic of the stark contrast between priorities," Rep. Behn said. "I think the Democratic Caucus wants to prioritize a female's autonomy, self-determination; the ability to make decisions with your family and healthcare professionals without government interference, and Rep. Bulso's bill shows they really only care about the right to a fetus, and it blatantly disregards a female's autonomy."
Rep. Behn told News 2, the majority of Tennesseans support at least some access to abortion, however, the Reproductive Freedom Act will likely face major roadblocks this upcoming session due to the Republican supermajority.
