AMENDMENT 1
Shall Article I, of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by adding the following language as a new, appropriately designated section: Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.
What you need to know about Tennessee Amendment 1
› IF YOU VOTE NO
A no vote means you want Tennessee's laws on abortion to remain as they are. Right now, abortion is legal in Tennessee with some legislatively approved restrictions such as parental consent required for a minor's abortion.
› IF YOU VOTE YES
A yes vote means you want to give state lawmakers the ability to regulate abortion, removing the right to abortion from Tennessee's constitution. Legislators will be empowered to pass, change or repeal state laws about abortion, including abortion under circumstances such as rape, incest or when the health of the mother is at risk. The U.S. Constitution still ensures a woman's right to abortion.
TIMES FREE PRESS COVERAGE
10/30/14
› 'Too close to call' on Amendment 1: Ballot measure pits abortion against big government
The most hard-fought of four constitutional amendments on the Tennessee ballot Tuesday pits two red state values against each other ... › READ MORE
10/28/14
› Josh and Anna Duggar visit Chattanooga to encourage pro-family voting
Josh and Anna Duggar, from the reality TV show ‘19 Kids and Counting,’ swung through Chattanooga and Cleveland today to promote... › READ MORE
10/27/14
› ACLU warns on ‘misleading’ information about abortion, other amendments
Spurred by reports that some poll workers in Monroe County have provided "misleading" information to voters on the proposed... › READ MORE
10/13/14
› Abortion rights proponents give big in bid to defeat amendment 1 in Tennessee
Abortion rights supporters contributed big sums last quarter to a campaign to defeat Amendment 1, which would give lawmakers more power ... › READ MORE
10/12/14
› No on 1 side outraises abortion amendment proponents
The battle over a proposed Tennessee constitutional amendment aimed at giving state lawmakers more power to regulate abortions has … › READ MORE
10/2/14
› Hamilton County commissioners pass abortion resolution; crowd debate comes after 5-2 vote
A majority of Hamilton County commissioners say they had no business entering the statewide debate over a controversial constitutional amendment ... › READ MORE
10/1/14
› TV ad opposes amendment on abortion in Tennessee
The battle over a proposed abortion amendment to the Tennessee Constitution took to the airwaves Tuesday as opponents began running ... › READ MORE
10/1/14
› Hamilton County Commissioners support TN Amendment 1 on abortion
After much discussion, Hamilton County Commissioners voted to pass a resolution expressing support of the passage of Constitutional ... › READ MORE
STATISTICS
Abortion rate by area
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Abortion rate by race
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Marital status
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Abortions vs. live births
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OPINION
The Chattanooga Times
Want to stop conversation and start an argument? All it takes is one word: abortion. As one ad aptly puts it: You don't have to be pro-choice to agree that Amendment 1 goes too far.
Roy Herron
Chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party
AMENDMENT 1 LEAVES NO EXCEPTIONS FOR VICTIMS
I do not trust politicians to have all the answers. I believe that compassionate, caring, faithful adults, like that loving mother and pastor and doctor, ought to make or help make these difficult decisions.
Chattanooga Free Press
State Constitution Amendment 1: If you’re confused about the Tennessee constitutional amendment on abortion on the ballot in the upcoming election, the left has done its job.
Dr. Randy C. Davis
Executive Director of the Tennessee Baptist Convention
Tennesseans face possibly the most monumental vote in our state’s 218-year history, and it will be an indictment on Christians if Amendment 1 fails to pass. It’s that simple … and that monumental.
FEATURE
Listen to four Chattanooga women share their stories about terminating unwanted pregnancies.
Experience the history of Chattanooga’s first and only free-standing abortion clinic, which shut down in 1993.
C
BY MARY HELEN MILLER
PHOTOS BY MAURA FRIEDMAN
GRAPHICS BY LAURA MCNUTT
DESIGN AND PRODUCTION BY MARY HELEN MILLER, MAURA FRIEDMAN, MATT MCCLANE, AND KEN BARRETT