NASHVILLE – House Joint Resolution 765 (HJR 765) designating January 22 as the Day of Tears in Tennessee, has been passed by the General Assembly and signed by the Speakers of the House and Senate.
Sponsored by Representative Dennis Powers (R-Jacksboro), HJR 765 passed the House and sailed through the Senate with a resounding 33-0 vote. Tennessee becomes the second state to pass the Day of Tears resolution in a bi-partisan fashion.
"It was an honor to carry the Day of Tears Resolution in the Tennessee House of Representatives," said Representative Powers. "Tennessee is a pro-life state and if the resolution can bring awareness that might save one unborn child, it will be the worth the effort. We have to keep fighting the good fight."
Tennessee has a strong record of protections for the unborn. Current laws include the Human Life Protection Act, post-viability abortion ban, ban on sale of fetal tissue, 48 hour waiting period, partial-birth abortion ban, and informed consent. Tennessee has also included a pro-life amendment in their constitution.
Joining Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Idaho, West Virginia, Arizona, and the Mississippi House, Tennessee is the latest state to set January 22 aside as a day to mourn the over 62 million souls lost to abortion.
"We sincerely thank Tennessee for their steadfast commitment to protecting children in the womb," said Anne Fitzgerald, Day of Tears Executive Director. "Tennessee has shown that Life is not, and should not, be a partisan issue. We know that the effects of abortion last a lifetime, not only for the child who never had a chance to live outside the womb, but for the parents and families who grieve their loss."
Day of Tears legislation is currently before Alabama, Missouri, Ohio, and Oklahoma.
