Parents and minor girls would be protected against abortion traffickers under a proposed law in Tennessee.

HB 1895 would make “abortion trafficking of a minor” a felony if an individual helps a minor travel out of the state for an abortion. It’s pending in committee but passed the House Health Committee on Feb. 21.

“An adult commits the offense of abortion trafficking of a minor if the adult recruits, harbors, or transports a pregnant unemancipated minor within this state for the purpose of [c]oncealing an act that would constitute a criminal abortion…from the parents or guardian of the pregnant unemancipated minor,” the bill states.

Buying abortion drugs for minor girls would also become a felony under the law.

The law “does not apply to the parents or legal guardian of an unemancipated minor” nor to “the provision of a medical diagnosis or consultation regarding pregnancy care of an unemancipated minor.”

Parents and guardians could also sue the perpetrators for damages.

The legislation would potentially protect 500 girls and their babies from the harms of abortion.

“Based on information located on the Department of Health’s website, between 2019 and 2020, there were an average of 507 abortions per year in Tennessee for residents under the age of 18,” the state’s analysis concluded.

Since abortion is the intentional killing of an innocent preborn baby, and almost completely illegal in Tennessee, it is only reasonable to treat it like the crime it is.

Tennessee law also criminalizes helping minors commit other crimes. Adults in the Volunteer State can also be charged for buying alcohol and cigarettes for minors.

The ideal law would also punish parents who help take their daughter to get an abortion of their grandchild. It is possible this is not included for a strategic reason. Regardless, it is still wrong for anyone to assist another person in getting an abortion in any form.

Some organizations are committed to assisting women in traveling to get abortions. Cities have set aside abortion travel funds to facilitate the destruction of innocent human life.

Individuals and political leaders who are truly concerned with helping women in need, however, should not be pushing abortion. They should be pushing for supportive services and resources to support families.