Senator Douglas Henry to serve as Honorary Campaign Chair of YES on 1

Press Release, Nashville---The Yes on 1 campaign announced today that state Senator Douglas Henry has joined the effort to win public approval of Amendment 1 and will serve as an Honorary Chairman for the campaign.  He joins other announced chairmen including Stevie and Darrell Waltrip, Memphian Charlotte Bergmann, Dr. Ming Wang, and Dr. Carol Swain.

Senator Douglas Henry

"We are deeply grateful to Senator Henry for his record of service to the people of Tennessee and for his willingness to advocate passage of Amendment 1," said Lorene Steffes, spokeswoman for Yes on 1.  "His support underscores the importance of voting Yes on 1 so that the voice and views of the people may again be heard on the matter of abortion in our state," Steffes said.

Henry, a longtime Nashville Democrat, underscored his support for public passage of the amendment on grounds that the 2000 ruling by the Tennessee Supreme Court wrongly interpreted abortion as a fundamental right and, as a result, limits the ability of Tennesseans and their elected representatives to decide public policy on the important matter of abortion.

"I find myself in strong agreement with former Chief Justice William Barker who eloquently stated that the effect of the Court's holding was to remove from the people all power, except by constitutional amendment, to enact reasonable regulations of abortion," Henry said.  "I've consistently advocated a public vote to address the results of the 2000 ruling and I very much look forward to fulfilling my duty in order that this matter might be remedied."

Barker wrote in his dissent that the "Court had converted itself into a roving constitutional convention, which sees itself free to strike down the duly-enacted laws of the legislature for no other reason than it feels they are burdensome and unwise."  Henry co-sponsored the Senate resolution which placed Amendment 1 on the ballot for a public vote in November.

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