NEW: Appeals court approves immediate action on Tennessee’s abortion law

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal court has allowed Tennessee’s ban on abortion as early as six weeks into pregnancy to take effect after the Supreme Court’s decision overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights case.

The action by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes before Tennessee’s other abortion ban, known as the so-called trigger ban, is set to restrict abortion almost entirely in less than a month. Both measures would make performing an abortion a felony and subject doctors to a maximum of 15 years in prison.

The 6th Circuit upheld our heartbeat law, marking another significant protection for unborn children in our state. I thank TN Attorney General Slatery for his tireless efforts and commend the Court’s swift action on behalf of Tennessee families.

— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) June 28, 2022

Republican state Attorney General Herbert Slatery filed an emergency motion on Friday to allow the state to begin implementing the six-week ban.

(IMAGE: Bristol Broadcasting Co News Archive)