Health commissioner blasts Shipley over allegations of deliberate 'misdirection'

Tennessee Health Commissioner Susan Cooper and state Rep. Tony Shipley are engaged in a battle of words over Shipley’s bill requiring health care providers to give parents access to their minor child’s medical test results.

After a state Senate committee did not advance the Senate version of the Kingsport Republican lawmaker’s bill last week, he sent a letter to committee members citing “deliberate Tennessee Department of Health misdirection” in its testimony on the bill.

Cooper responded by standing by her department’s testimony delivered to the Senate committee by Chief Medical Officer Veronica Gunn.

“During my tenure at the state, never has the truthfulness of the testimony of this department been called into question as has been in this manner...” Cooper said in her letter sent to Shipley. “I am personally and professionally offended. ... We have consistently provided testimony that is grounded in fact, science and the best available evidence.”

Kingsport Times-News

Read more: http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9014118

but Rep. Tony Shipley is acting like a dick on this matter before the Tennessee General Assembly (just keep in mind that Shipley's bill is essentially more anti-abortion related legislation).