Bulso Revives Abortion Pill Lawsuit Bill
Tennessee Rep. Gino Bulso has refiled legislation that would let patients and families sue over abortion medication sent into the state.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Legislative Policy
Live Poll
Should people be able to sue over abortion pills mailed into Tennessee?
State Rep. Gino Bulso has revived a bill allowing civil lawsuits tied to abortion pill use in Tennessee after a previous version died in the state Senate in April 2026. House Bill 1, sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Joey Hensley, is the first bill filed ahead of the General Assembly's return in January.
Why it matters
The bill would expand civil liability for abortion medication delivered into Tennessee, building on the 2022 Tennessee Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act, which made mailing such drugs into the state a felony. Bulso expects it to pass quickly and reach the desk of Gov.-Elect Marsha Blackburn.
The bill sets a statutory damage award of $1,000,000 for a patient or wrongful death beneficiary when an abortion-inducing drug sent into Tennessee by courier, delivery, or mail causes the death of an unborn child. Whether the measure can clear the Senate after the earlier version stalled in conference is not yet known.
The players
Gino Bulso
Bulso is a Tennessee state representative from Brentwood who sponsored the revived bill and has been a leading voice on abortion-related legislation in the state.
Joey Hensley
Hensley is a Tennessee state senator representing Hohenwald who is carrying the bill in the Senate.
Marsha Blackburn
Blackburn is the Tennessee governor-elect whose signature Bulso anticipates for the measure once the General Assembly passes it.
The details
The bill would allow a spouse, parent, or patient who had an abortion using abortion medication to file a civil lawsuit, including over the abortion of a fetus or the injury or death of a patient. It was filed as House Bill 1 with Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) carrying it in the Senate, after a prior version was held on the Senate desk on the last day of session following conference committee work.
Timeline
April 2026: A previous version of the bill died in the state Senate.
2022: The Tennessee Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act was enacted.
November 5, 2026: House Bill 1 was revived and filed.
January 2027: The General Assembly returns to the Capitol.
Legislative Context
The bill extends the 2022 Tennessee Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act, which made mailing abortion-inducing drugs into the state a class-E felony, by adding a civil damages remedy of $1,000,000. It returns after a prior version died in the Senate in April 2026, signaling a sustained legislative push on the issue.
If enacted, the bill would let a spouse, parent, or patient who had an abortion using medication sent into Tennessee bring a civil suit seeking $1,000,000. Residents who receive abortion medication by mail could face new legal exposure under the measure.
The takeaway
Watch the January 2027 session for whether the bill clears both chambers, since the earlier version stalled late in the prior session. Its outcome will determine whether civil damages join criminal penalties under Tennessee law.
What happens next
House Bill 1 is expected to be considered when the General Assembly returns to the Capitol in January 2027.
Further reading
Track related measures in the Legislative Policy section for Tennessee.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nashville Scene.
Live Poll
Should people be able to sue over abortion pills mailed into Tennessee?
