Lawmakers in the state House have tentatively passed a bill that would require students in grade seven and higher to learn that abortion is a preventable cause of pre-term birth.
Republican Edgar Starnes spoke in support of the bill earlier today, saying the more information students have, the better.
"That's what sex education is all about. Our teenagers need to understand that when they make a decision there is a consequence. If you have an abortion, then there may be an additional consequence that may plague them somewhere down the road in their life," Starnes said.
Advocates of the bill regularly cite studies that support those claims, but the majority of American medical associations disagree that abortion is a cause of pre-term birth.
Many Democrats in the chamber rose to speak against the bill, saying it isn't scientifically accurate. Others said they don't want middle school students to learn about abortion at such a young age.