Tennessee now has one of the longest abortion waiting periods in America


On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) signed a bill that will require Tennessee women to wait 48 hours before obtaining an abortion. While Tennessee is the 27th state to impose such measures, only four other states have longer abortion waiting periods.
Brain Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life, said in a statement that women "deserve relevant details and adequate time to make fully informed decisions" before having an abortion. Abortion-rights advocates, meanwhile, say that waiting periods create unnecessary burdens for women, especially if they don't live near abortion clinics.
Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah have 72-hour abortion waiting periods, while Alabama, like Tennessee, has a 48-hour abortion waiting period. The Tennessee law will be effective on July 1.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
Why the FDA wants to restrict kratom-related products
In the Spotlight The compound is currently sold across the United States
-
Israeli NGOs have started referring to Gaza as a 'genocide' — will it matter?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION For the first time since fighting began in 2023, two Israeli rights groups have described their country's actions in the Gaza Strip as 'genocide' while famine threatens the blockaded Palestinian territory
-
6 classic homes built in the 1950s
Feature Featuring a firehouse-turned-home in Indiana and an award-winning house in Maryland
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read