Tennessee House Bill HB0345

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/25
• Refer: 2/3/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-15-203, relative to abortion.

Summary

HB0345 makes a narrow procedural change to Tennessee’s abortion-related law in Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-15-203. The bill amends a notice or reporting provision by adding the chairs of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House committee with jurisdiction over criminal justice-related matters to the list of legislative leaders who receive the specified information, alongside the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The bill does not change the underlying abortion restrictions or create new substantive rights or penalties. Instead, it adjusts who must be informed under the existing statute, expanding legislative oversight and communication requirements within the abortion law framework.

Impact

If enacted, HB0345 would modify Section 39-15-203 of the Tennessee Code Annotated by broadening the set of legislative recipients for information required under that section. The practical effect is limited to legislative notification and oversight, and it affects the offices of the Senate Judiciary Committee chair and the House criminal justice committee chair, in addition to the Speaker of the House. It does not appear to alter the operative abortion provisions themselves.

Sentiment

Based on the available record, there is no committee transcript or vote history showing debate, support, or opposition. The bill’s text suggests a technical or administrative adjustment rather than a major policy shift, so the apparent sentiment is neutral and procedural. Because no recorded discussion or votes are provided, no clear consensus or controversy can be inferred from the legislative history included here.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. The only potentially notable issue is that the bill concerns abortion, a subject that often draws strong views, but this record does not show any expressed disagreement, amendments, or vote split. The change itself is limited to which legislative leaders receive notice, so any contention would likely center on oversight and information-sharing rather than the substance of abortion policy.