A bill aiming to treat abortion as homicide has failed in Tennessee

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: USA Today

Updated March 12, 2026, 6:25 p.m. ET


A bill that sought to charge women who seek abortions with homicide − a crime punishable by the death penalty − failed unceremoniously in Tennessee on March 10. House Bill 570, sponsored by Rep. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson, would have removed legal protections for pregnant women currently in statute, and classified harm done to an unborn child as equal to assault on a person “born alive.”

Women who get abortions could have been prosecuted for homicide, which carries a sentence of life imprisonment or, in some cases, the death penalty. No member of the House Population Subcommittee made a motion to hear the bill on March 10, so the bill failed. Outbursts followed, and the committee chair ordered the room cleared.

The bill, which has divided anti-abortion advocates, is the latest in a wave of similar legislation that has failed to become law across the country. The bills show the "terrifying lengths that the anti-abortion movement is willing to go to ban abortion," according to Israel Cook, state legislative counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights.

"While we are glad to see Tennessee’s bill fail, these kinds of bills should be taken seriously regardless of whether or not they pass this year," Cook told USA TODAY. "Anti-abortion lawmakers have been increasingly and repeatedly introducing this legislation across the country in hopes that their citizens will eventually stop paying attention so they can push these efforts forward."

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/03/12/abortion-homicide-bill-fails-tennessee/89115604007/

[no_hypocrisy]

1. For one thing, preventing a divided zygote from attaching to the uterine wall

is not equitable with murder.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. These "laws" are devised by the same types of loons

who would declare a miscarriage, a "murder".

[TheRickles]

3. I was wondering how close the vote was - a squeaker or a landslide? So I clicked on the USA Today article.

Turns out that "unceremoniously" means that it never came to a vote: "No member of the House Population Subcommittee made a motion to hear the bill on March 10, so the bill failed"

[Farmer-Rick]

8. Well, that's a good sign that it wasn't brought to a vote

But these forced birth proponents are really feeling powerful. To even have the nerve to bring up this religiously provoked law is ballsy.

These ignorant Christians think their god is pro-life???? God is obviously, clearly pro-death. Everything alive right now, with very few exceptions, will be dead in a 100 years. That's pro-death not pro-life.

[Lonestarblue]

4. And Hawkeye has introduced a bill in the Senate to make mifepristone illegal.

All these efforts may seem unserious now, but they have the goal of wearing down public attitudes toward abortion. As we Roe v. Wade, it was law until suddenly it wasn't after multiple court cases. Republicans want women to live in the Dark Ages while men get to party like there's no tomorrow and no repercussions for any of their actions.

[OldBaldy1701E]

5. What amazes me is that the same people who are crying about 'killing fetuses'...

Are the same ones who would happily shoot my gay ass dead without a second's hesitation.

Hypocrites much?

[Icanthinkformyself]

6. The Republicans

will do anything to distract from the Epstein Files.

[Timeflyer]

7. They will not stop, ever. This was one battle in their never-ending war against women. Meanwhile, don't ask about

the Epstein Files...

[Wonder Why]

9. Those reps voting for it are committing homicide.