a typical news morning in tennessee....bible / abortion

Tennessee House votes Bible as official state book

The Holy Bible is the official book of Tennessee in the view of the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Despite questions of constitutionality, lawmakers beat back an attempt to make Andrew Jackson's Bible the official book and voted 55-38 in favor of Rep. Jerry Sexton's original bill.

"History's going to tell us where we stand on this. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to have the side that I'm on," said Sexton, R-Bean Station, after the vote.

"It may be kind to me in the future and it may not be kind, and that's OK. I made a decision for today and I feel good about it."

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2015/04/15/house-makes-bible-official-state-book/25811959/


Senate approves abortion waiting period; House votes next

The Tennessee House on Thursday will take up two abortion measures — a 48-hour waiting period for women and new regulations of abortion providers — approved by the state Senate on Wednesday.

Passage in the House appears likely. On Wednesday, Gov. Bill Haslam signaled his approval for the new restrictions, telling reporters he was "comfortable with the direction those bills were going in."

One measure, introduced by Sen. Mae Beavers, a Republican from Mt. Juliet, would require women seeking an abortion to wait 48 hours after receiving in-person counseling by a physician before she could seek an abortion.

The bill specifies the information the physician performing the abortion must provide to a woman, including:

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2015/04/15/tn-senate-passes-hour-abortion-waiting-period/25819581/