Constitutional Amendment To Restrict Abortion On Immediate Agenda Of Tenn. House Speaker Williams

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 23 Jan 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Tennessee House Speaker Kent Williams (R) recently said one of his top issues this legislative session will be to pass a "long-stalled" state constitutional amendment that aims to restrict access to abortion, the AP/WSMV.com reports. Williams was named House speaker last week after defeating House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower by one vote in a House vote to determine who would hold the position.

According to the AP/WSMV.com, the antiabortion amendment previously failed to pass in House subcommittees controlled by Democrats; however, Williams will now have the authority to appoint committee members. While serving his first term, Williams criticized his Republican House members for what he considered was an overly partisan attitude toward the amendment, the AP/WSMV.com reports. Williams said he was disappointed that some House members were using the abortion issue "for political reasons, to promote themselves to move up the ladder in political circles" (Schelzig, AP/WSMV.com, 1/20).

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