Tennessee Governor Bill Lee proposed a new bill today that would ban abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected. Under this legislation, there would be provisions to ban physicians from performing abortions if it’s known the mother’s motivation is the sex, race or disability of the baby.

Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton released the following statement regarding Governor Lee’s announcement:

“The General Assembly has been committed to making Tennessee a very strong pro-life state over the last decade. Obviously, we are very supportive and appreciative of the Governor’s dedication to pro-life principles. We are looking forward to working with him and his team on this issue, as well as his legislative vision. I know members of the House and the chairmen are eager to review the proposed language soon and continue their strong support for life.”