Tennessee governor OKs penalizing adults who help minors receive abortions, gender-affirming care

FILE - Gov. Bill Lee responds questions during a news conference after a bill signing ceremony Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Lee has approved legislation designed to block adults from helping minors get an abortion or receive gender-affirming care without parental consent. Both proposals both likely to face immediate legal challenges when they go into effect later this year. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

Tennessee’s governor has approved legislation designed to block adults from helping minors get an abortion or receive gender-affirming care without parental consent, proposals that are both likely to face immediate legal challenges when they go into effect later this year.

Republican Gov. Bill Lee quietly signed the bills Tuesday without comment. However, the governor’s actions weren’t unexpected. During his time in office, Lee has enacted sweeping restrictions on gender-affirming care for young people and has defended Tennessee’s near total ban on abortion while stressing his opposition to the procedure.

Both laws go into effect July 1.