Tenn. governor signs bill regulating medication abortions

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican Gov. Bill Lee has signed legislation that will strictly regulate the dispensing of abortion pills, including imposing harsh penalties on doctors who violate them. The measure will go into effect Jan. 1, 2023. Once enacted, a medical clinician will be required to be physically present when abortion pills are administered to a patient even though federal regulations now allow mail delivery nationwide. The issue has become even more important as the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision as suggested through a recently leaked draft opinion. Tennessee is among the 13 states with a so-called trigger law that would make abortion illegal should Roe be overturned.