Subcommittee hears testimony on bill targeting out‑of‑state mail delivery of abortion pills; amendment added, bill rolled one week

House Bill 5, a measure the Civil Justice Subcommittee considered on March 1, 2025, would restrict out‑of‑state suppliers from sending abortion‑inducing drugs into Tennessee; the committee added an amendment and agreed to roll the bill one week to allow revisions.

The bill’s sponsor framed the proposal as closing gaps between two existing Tennessee statutes and preventing out‑of‑state operators from mailing abortion pills into Tennessee. The sponsor said Tennessee’s wrongful death statute (20‑5‑106) already defines “person” to include “an unborn child at any stage of gestation,” and cited Tenn. Code Ann. §63‑6‑1103, passed by the 112th General Assembly, which prohibits providing an abortion‑inducing drug “to a patient via courier, delivery, or mail service.” The sponsor also referenced the federal Comstock Act (1873) as a federal prohibition the bill would reinforce. The subcommittee added amendment drafting code 004757 to the bill and, without objection, rolled House Bill 5 for one week so stakeholders and counsel can revise language.

Why it matters: supporters told lawmakers that mail‑order abortion pills are arriving in Tennessee with minimal medical oversight and have caused medical complications and traumatic outcomes for some women and minors, according to testimony. Committee members said they wanted stakeholder input on language before the bill returns.

Testimony and examples

Shelley Sumner, chief executive officer of Life Choices of Memphis and a board member of the Tennessee…