The Catholic bishops of Tennessee have voiced their opposition to a fetal heartbeat law being considered in the state and instead urged alternative legislation less open to legal challenges.

The leaders of the state’s three dioceses released an open letter on February 26 stating that while they are opposed to abortion, they believe the Heartbeat Bill would fail a likely court challenge.

“We believe that the sanctity of human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception to natural death,” said Bishop Richard F. Stika of Knoxville, Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville, and Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville in a letter that was originally published in the Tennessee Register.