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HISTORY
When a Knoxville,
Tennessee newspaper refused to run a pro-life ad, three young ladies, shaken
by the infamous Roe V. Wade ruling, opted to form a pro-life group named the
Greater Knoxville Right to Life Chapter. Ann Brayley became president and in
the following months the group contacted churches, organized a speakers'
bureau, sponsored educational booths, picketed the abortion clinics,
contributed pro-life material to the public library, and edited a bi-monthly
newsletter. As membership increased in their area, it was recognized the
importance of expanding to include a state-wide organization.
In the following year work was begun and with the help of David O'Steen and
Darla St. Martin of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, Incorporation
papers were filed in the name of Tennessee Volunteers for Life, Inc. A dream
became reality when in September of 1976 the State of Tennessee
recognized the incorporation papers.
1975
Chapters began forming in Oak Ridge,
Chattanooga, Cookeville,
and Johnson City with the first
state convention being held in Cookeville.
At the convention, Ann Brayley was elected president of TVL and director on
the National Right to Life Committee Board.
1976
The state office was established at 5710 Kingston Pike in Knoxville.
Ann Brayley resigned that year and John Waddey accepted the presidency. The
first direct mail effort soliciting for funds was mailed and chapters in Nashville
and Memphis organized.
1977
Was a year of marches, vigils, funeral processions, and prayer services.
Members of TVL were among the attendance of the March for life in Washington,
D.C. and at the International Women's
Year Conference in Houston, Texas.
1978 and 1979
TVL became more active in legislative process with the sponsoring of a Fetal
Remains bill, a Parental Notification bill, an Informed Consent bill, all of
which passed but were later to be contested by Planned
Parenthood. The bills were enjoined.
1980
Tennessee became the sixteenth
state to pass a resolution for a Constitutional Convention to draft a Human
Life Amendment. This year, also, saw the incorporation of an Educational
Foundation and a Political Action Committee, as well as, the organizing of
the first chartered bus trip across the state with members to attend the
March for Life in Washington, D.C. After four years of leadership under John
Waddey, the office of president was assumed by Mrs. Connie Anders.
Under the leadership of TVL President Connie Anders, the state bus charter
and participation in the March for Life steadily increased from 40 pro-lifers
in 1981 to 90 in 1982 while at home in cities across the state held vigils,
marches, and ads to coincide with the demonstration in Washington, D.C.
1981
The Nashville Chapter began sponsoring the Lifemobile - a converted bus with
pro-life educational material and displays. In that same year Fentress
County formed our eleventh
chapter. The annual convention was held in Knoxville
and The Title X bill as well as the Wrongful Life/Wrongful Birth bill was at
the center of our legislative effort.
1982
Lawrence County
and Putman County
formed chapters and Nashville
hosted a mini-convention at which time Mary Shearin was elected TVL
president. The Title X bill continued to be at the center of our legislative
effort.
1983
For the first time since the organization was formulated; the State of Tennessee
and TVL in particular received recognition when Tara Hollman of Loretto won
the National March for Life
Student Contest. The state went on to be represented by other outstanding
student winners for the years of 1984, 1985, and 1986 with Emily Noblit,
Karen Beuerlein, and John White in the respective years, all from the Lawrence
County area.
The Infanticide
Resolution passed and was signed by the governor. The Wrongful Life/Wrongful
Birth bill was eventually buried in a study committed for the summer.
Also TVL was relieved of an outstanding financial obligation of 5,500.00 by
Mr. Jim Bopp, NRLC General Council, for the legal defense of the Tennessee
Informed Consent Law. Memphis
hosted the annual convention and Mary Shearin was re-elected a TVL president,
the amended Charter and the new By-laws were adopted by the Board.
TVL attempted to pass a Wrongful Life/Wrongful Birth bill, a Spousal Notice
and Consent bill, and a Fetal Pain bill. While none of the bills passed, TVL
did have some positive reaction of the Hill.
1984
Scott County
and Sumner County
were recognized as newly affiliated chapters and at the Nashville
convention, Richard Ryan, Jr. was elected TVL president.
1985
Weather conditions forced the cancellation of the annual bus trip to Washington,
D.C., Tennessee
was represented at the March only by those who traveled by car or plane.
Marches, demonstrations and prayer vigils were held in cities across Tennessee
to mark the 12th anniversary of the Roe V. Wade decision, despite the snowy
and cold weather.
TVL's legislative effort included a Wrongful Life/Wrongful Birth and the
Living Will bill. The latter passed but with some essential pro-life
amendments. A bill on Genetic Screening was passed, again with pro-life
amendments.
During the October convention held in Cleveland,
Mrs. Jane Hubbard was elected the new TVL president and the Franklin County
Chapter was welcomed as our newest chapter.
1986
The bus trip to Washington on
January 22 was a total reversal from the previous year with beautiful weather
conditions all the way. A new By-laws Committee was appointed, the Chapter
Development Committee placed a revised Chapter Development Manual before the
Board.
Our legislative effort included a Fetal Pain bill which failed to pass. Our
lobbying effort during that session involved a video display of The Silent
Scream in the halls of Legislative Plaza.
Knoxville was the site of this
years convention during which Mrs. Jane Hubbard was elected for a second term
as president.
1987
This was a painful year for the organization. We experience a division among
the Board members that caused the loss of the Memphis Chapter. Growing pains
are a part of any organization and we resolved to move forward despite this
sensitive setback.
In July TVL received another setback when told the building that housed our
office was totally destroyed by fire. We lost nearly everything except some
carried files. Office Manager Betty Nacarato quickly located new space at 2200
Hillsboro Road in Nashville
and initiated a fund raising drive that enabled us to replace our losses.
Assisted Suicide and Nutrition/Hydration were the two bills that TVL
concentrated its efforts on and Lynn Ray was hired as our lobbyist on a
part-time basis for the 1988 session. Nashville
hosted the convention and Mrs. Hubbard was again elected president during the
annual meeting.
1988
This was a landmark year for TVL in many respects. We moved to our third
office location, now at 8005 Church Street
in Brentwood. In August, TVL hired Lynn Ray full time
as both lobbyist and Executive Director. TVL introduced a Parental Consent
bill which passed both houses and was signed by Governor Ned McWherter. We
adopted a new set of by-laws after several years’ worth of work. TVL
also initiated major donor fund raising and telemarketing in the Fall of
1988. Mrs. Hubbard was re-elected to a forth term as president.
At the request of the Tennessee Supreme Court, the Parental Consent bill of
1988 was slightly amended to reflect Tennessee Supreme Court approved
judicial by-pass regulations. Two serious
attempts to weaken or repeal the law were introduced. Since there was little
interest on the legislators' part to repeal the law, the bill to weaken
Parental Consent was moved through the
legislative process, but never voted upon. It will remain a threat in the
session in 1990.
The parental Consent law which went into effect July 1 was challenged in the
U.S. District Court on June 30th. Judge John T. Nixon agreed with Planned
Parenthood Federation of America and
the American Civil Liberties Union, who challenged the law, that the Parental
Consent law was unconstitutional. State Attorney General, Charles Burson, has
appealed the case to the 6th
District Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.
Reformation the state criminal code resulted in the Tennessee Sentencing
Commission bill, which attempted to liberalize the state's abortion laws.
Changes endeavored included a reduction in the criminal penalty for an
illegal abortion, an easing of requirements for abortions in each trimester,
allowing second and third trimester abortions to be performed without the
mother's consent, and a provision allowing a minor to obtain the abortion
pill (RU486, when legalized) without parental consent. An amendment, offered
by Sen. Doug Henry, leaving the abortion law in its current form was adopted
by the Senate Judiciary Committee, and became part of the overall bill
package that was subsequently passed by both houses.
A bill which would provide Medicaid funding of abortion for cases of rape and
incest was introduced and will likely be considered in the 1990 session.
Federal regulation does not permit
coverage of abortion in rape and incest cases; therefore Tennessee
would be 100 percent responsible for the increase in expenditures.
1989
The most significant bill of this years session was the Abortion Clinic
Reform bill. Passed unanimously by both houses, the bill requires abortion
clinics to carry $2 million in medical
malpractice insurance. The measure requires clinic administrators and owners
to meet strict educational, medical and character requirements. Lastly the
State Board of Health is required to shut down clinics failing to meet state
health and safety standards. The bill went into effect July 1.
TVL hosted its first successful "Major Donor" Breakfast in Nashville,
having as its host Ambassador Joe Rodgers. This event was instrumental in
procuring a number of sizeable donations for TVL’s life-saving work.
On September 23, TVL's new by-laws were fully implemented, significantly
altering the composition of the Board of Directors, seating only
Congressional District Directors, plus three at-large directors. Officers
were elected for 2 year terms for the first time: Mrs. Jane Hubbard was
elected President and NRLC Director.
This years State
TVL Conference will be held in Murfreesboro,
sponsored by the Rutherford County Chapter.
1991
This year saw many changes for TVL. First of all, the organization changed its
name to Tennessee Right To Life. This change was made to bring TRL in closer
affiliation with National Right To Life. Jane Hubbard stepped down after many
hardworking years as TVL's President. Bruce Weaver was elected the new
President of TRL. Finally, TRL moved its offices to downtown Nashville
in order to have a more central location and to be closer to the Legislature.
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