Republican Gov. Bill HaslamNASHVILLE -- Gov. Bill Haslam has told legislative Republicans that the state doesn't contract directly with Planned Parenthood for any health services but the nonprofit health provider does subcontract with state vendors to provide non-abortion contraceptive services and HIV testing.
The governor's letter to "provide some clarity" to Republicans in the General Assembly comes as two legislative committees prepare to hold a joint "fact-finding" hearing next week on whether the state is enforcing Tennessee law banning the sale of aborted fetuses and fetus parts.
The chairmen of the House and Senate government operations committees, Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby and Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, quickly called the hearing two weeks ago after the release of edited undercover videos by an anti-abortion group in which a Planned Parenthood administrator elsewhere discusses prices for aborted fetal material for medical research. The hearing is Aug. 19 in Nashville.
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