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Heartbeat Bill

NOTE: The Rule of Law Life Act is being proposed as a replacement for the ‘Heartbeat Bill’

David Fowler discusses the importance of passing SB1236

Family Action Council of Tennessee founder and president, David Fowler discusses the importance of passing SB1236 in the Tennessee Senate and why now is the time. Many pro-life groups, and rightly so, continue to be concerned about challenges by the Court over the constitutionality of heartbeat bills. But thus far, that argument has been based on the 14th Amendment, thereby accepting the premise of the Roe decision. Our bill is based on the protections of the 9th Amendment. The Supreme Court to date has never been in a position to reconcile the rights of “persons” in both the 9th and 14th Amendments.

Please join us in supporting the passage of SB1236 and putting forward the best chance we’ve ever had in seeing Roe v Wade overturned. If not now, when!

David Fowler's Summer Study Prepared Remarks

FACT President David Fowler spoke to the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, August 12. You can review the remarks David prepared for the first day of Summer Study concerning SB 1236, the heartbeat bill, by clicking on the button below. Note that this is the statement written by David before he was questioned by committee members shortly after he gave his testimony.
View David's Full Prepared Remarks

Heartbeat Bill Videos

Alan Keyes, an American conservative political activist, pundit, author, and former ambassador, gives his testimony in support of the Tennessee heartbeat bill, SB 1236, before the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee on August 13, 2019. Keyes’ eloquent testimony centers on the “presumption of innocence.”
TN Baptist Mission Board’s Dr. Randy Davis gives his testimony in support of the Tennessee heartbeat bill, SB 1236, before the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee on August 12, 2019. Representing the Tennessee Baptists, Davis gives his full approval of this bill, citing that life begins at conception and God values all life.
FACT President David Fowler gives his testimony in support of the Tennessee heartbeat bill, SB 1236, before the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee on August 12, 2019. As a lawyer and a three-term state senator, Fowler has extensive knowledge on Tennessee legislation and brings the Ninth Amendment to bear on the issue of the unborn.
Nate Kellum, president and chief counsel of the Center for Religious Expression, gives his testimony in support of the Tennessee heartbeat bill, SB 1236, before the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee on August 12, 2019, centering on the arbitrariness of the Roe v. Wade viability standard. This was day one of the two-day Summer Study hearing.
Adam MacLeod, professor of law at Faulkner University and an expert in the Common Law, gives his testimony in support of the Tennessee heartbeat bill, SB 1236, before the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee on August 12, 2019. MacLeod draws his argument from the Ninth Amendment and common law to support life in the womb. This was day one of the two-day Summer Study hearing.
Watch this video featuring Faulkner University professor of law Adam MacLeod, who will be presenting his testimony in support of the TN #heartbeat bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee's Summer Study today. He chats with FACT President David Fowler more about his testimony to the committee on August 12, 2019.
FACT CEO Gary Humble chats about the heartbeat bill, SB 1236, just days before FACT President David Fowler addresses the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, Aug 12.
FACT President David Fowler presents excellent reasons for why he supports SB 1236, the fetal heartbeat bill, to the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee on April 9, 2019.
FACT President David Fowler answers Sen. Dawn White, a member of the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee, concerning a question on legal fees if taken to court over this bill. The committee reviewed the Senate version of the fetal heartbeat bill, SB 1236, on April 9, 2019. The committee voted to send the bill to Summer Study in August with a vote of 5-3.
Dr. Charles Brent Boles, a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist who works in Rutherford County, Tenn., lends his support in official testimony before the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee for the heartbeat bill, SB 1236. This testimony was given during Tennessee's legislative session on April 9, 2019.

Summer Study Hearing Speaker Schedule

Monday, August 12
1:00 PM – Cordell Hull Building,
Senate Hearing Room I

(schedule subject to change)

Opening remarks by Chairman Bell and Committee

Elizabeth Insogna, Office of Legal Services

Adam J. MacLeod, professor of law, Faulkner Univeristy

Nate Kellum, Center for Religious Expression

David Fowler, Family Action Council of Tennessee

Randy Davis, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board

Jim Bopp, National Right to Life Committee

Tuesday, August 13
8:00 AM – Cordell Hull Building,
Senate Hearing Room I

(schedule subject to change)

Richard Mast, Liberty Council

Dr. Brent Boles

Paul Linton, special council to the Tennessee Right to Life

Heather Shumaker, National Women’s Law Center

Hedy Weinberg, ACLU-TN

Dr. Nikki Zeit, Planned Parenthood of Tennessee

Tracey George, Planned Parenthood of Tennessee

Jay Hartley, Planned Parenthood of Tennesee

Alan Keyes

Hal Rounds

June Griffin, Tennessee Committee for the Bill of Rights

Dr. Richard Orland, Beloved Heart

Nancy Corley, Women’s Political Collaborative of Tennessee

Rabbi Laurie Rice, Congregation Micah

Cherisse Scott, SisterReach

Dr. Susan Dodd, Knoxville Reproductive Health Center

David Fowler's April 2019 Prepared Remarks

FACT President David Fowler spoke to the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee during legislative session on April 9, 2019 in support of SB 1236, the heartbeat bill.
View David's Full Prepared Remarks

How the TN Senate Judiciary Committee Voted on SB 1236 in April 2019

Sen. Mike Bell proposed a motion to move the bill to summer study. The motion to move the bill to summer study passed 5-3 with one abstention.


Here is the breakdown of the votes:


Those who voted “yes” included Sen. Mike Bell (R-Riceville), Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga), Sen. Sara Kyle (D-Memphis), Sen. Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), Sen. John Stevens (R-Huntingdon).

Those who voted “no” included Sen. Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), Sen. Katrina Robinson (D-Memphis), and Sen. Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro).

The absention (present not voting) was from Sen. Kerry Robertson (R-Springfield).

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