The law assigns "natural and ordinary meaning" to terms in state law and was signed by Gov. Bill Haslam on Friday.
At 8:53 a.m. Monday, four same-sex couples filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court naming Haslam, Tennessee Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner and the Tennessee Department of Health as defendants.
Each of the four lesbian couples have conceived a child using a sperm donor, according to their filing. Their case notes that, when a man and woman have a child with donated sperm, the husband is automatically given legal rights to the child. They argue Tennessee's new law does not guarantee them the same rights.
