根据田纳西州一项新的“堕胎贩运”法，成年人因帮助未成年人堕胎而可能面临民事和刑事处罚。
成年人可能面临运送未成年人堕胎的后果，即使在堕胎合法的另一个州也是如此。法律对帮助未成年子女的父母做出了例外规定。
田纳西州已经有一个最严格的堕胎禁令在该国，除了非常有限的例外情况，几乎在怀孕的所有阶段都禁止堕胎。在美国最高法院推翻罗伊诉韦德案后，田纳西州在2022年8月触发禁令生效时停止了几乎所有堕胎服务。该州是停止几乎所有堕胎服务的14个州之一。
这项新法律于周二签署生效，与此同时，七名女性和两名医生针对该州的堕胎禁令提出了另一项法律挑战。该诉讼目前正在在三名法官组成的陪审团面前这将决定诉讼能否继续。
该小组上个月听取了辩论，但尚未就是否允许诉讼继续进行做出决定。
新法律有什么内容?
该法案将“贩运未成年人堕胎“定为犯罪，如果一名成年人在该州招募、窝藏或运送一名怀孕的未成年人，以隐瞒他们在其父母不知情的情况下非法堕胎;帮助未成年人堕胎，无论在哪里;或为未成年人获取堕胎药丸以终止其妊娠。
违反者可能面临刑事和民事处罚。该罪行被视为C级重罪，可判处3至15年监禁和最高1万美元的罚款。
根据该案文，根据该法受到指控的人不能在法庭上辩称怀孕的未成年人同意堕胎。
根据该法律，任何违反该法律的人也可能因“流产胎儿的非正常死亡”而在民事诉讼中承担责任。
民事诉讼可以由未出生婴儿的亲生父母提起，除非怀孕是由强奸造成的，或者由堕胎未成年人的父母或法定监护人提起。原告可以获得经济损失、非经济损失、惩罚性损失以及合理的律师费和诉讼费。
田纳西州州长比尔·李周二签署了该法案，但该法案要到7月1日才能生效。
“堕胎贩运”法案也可能带来更多的法律挑战。
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Adults could face civil and criminal penalties in Tennessee for helping minors get abortions under a new "abortion trafficking" law in the state.
Adults could face consequences for transporting a minor to get an abortion even if it is in another state where abortion is legal. The law makes an exception for parents helping their minor children.
Tennessee already has one of thestrictest abortion bansin the country, prohibiting abortions at nearly all stages of pregnancy, with very limited exceptions. Tennessee ceased nearly all abortion services when a trigger ban went into effect in August 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The state is one of 14 to cease nearly all abortion services.
The new law, signed into effect Tuesday, comes amid an ongoing separate legal challenge filed by seven women and two doctors against the state over its abortion bans. The lawsuit is currentlybefore a three-judge panelthat will decide whether the suit can continue.
The panel heard arguments last month but has not yet issued a decision on whether it will allow the suit to continue.
What's in the new law?
The bill criminalizes "abortion trafficking of a minor" if an adult recruits, harbors or transports a pregnant minor within the state to conceal them obtaining an illegal abortion without the knowledge of their parents; helping the minor obtain an abortion, regardless of where; or obtaining the abortion pill for the minor for the purpose of terminating their pregnancy.
Violators could face criminal and civil penalties. The crime is considered a Class C felony punishable by three to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
A person charged under this law cannot argue in court that the pregnant minor consented to getting an abortion, according to the text.
Anyone who violates the law can also be held liable in a civil action for the "wrongful death of an unborn child that was aborted," according to the law.
The civil suit can be brought by the biological parents of the unborn child -- unless the pregnancy resulted from rape -- or the parent or legal guardian of the minor whose pregnancy was aborted. A plaintiff can recover economic damages, noneconomic damages, punitive damages and reasonable attorneys fees and court costs.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the bill into law on Tuesday, but it doesn't go into effect until July 1.
More legal challenges are likely to ensure from the "abortion trafficking" bill, too.
