A majority of MLCs are expected to vote in favour of sending the Reproductive Health Bill through the second reading stage in the Legislative Council this afternoon.

The Examiner's Calla Wahlquist is tweeting live from the Legislative Council 

The surprise support of Pembroke Liberal MLC Vanessa Goodwin provided the crucial eight vote.

Dr Goodwin is the only Liberal Party member in either house of parliament to support the Bill in the second reading stage.

She said she while she had some reservations, she supported the principle of decriminalisation and so would support the legislation into committee.

"It's important for us as legislators to consider Bills on their merits, and when you support the principle of it, as I do here, you should go through to the committee stage," she said.

Dr Goodwin said she was concerned about the requirements for doctors and counsellors with a conscientious objection to refer patients seeking abortion advice to another doctor, and said she would see if her concerns could be met by amendments.

Montgomery Liberal MLC Leonie Hiscutt and Elwick independent MLC Adrianna Taylor were among those who spoke against the Bill.

Ms Taylor said abortion was alway "ethically fraught" and ought not be dealt with in ordinary medical legislation.

"The only approach that's compatible with the role of government is to retain the legislation in the Criminal Code," Mr Valentine said.

Rumney MLC Tony Mulder said the legislation would not make a material change and would not address issues of access, because they were caused not by fear of prosecution but by conscientious objection of doctors and the government not specially instructing public hospitals to perform terminations.

But Mr Mulder said he supported decriminalisation.

The debate continues tonight.

EARLIER: Legislation to decriminalise abortion in Tasmania and make it easier for women to access a termination is being debated in the upper house today.

The Reproductive Health Bill proposes removing the termination of a pregnancy from the Criminal Code and pushing back the existing requirement for two doctors to approve the procedure on medical, psychological or socio-economic grounds to pregnancies terminated after 16 weeks.

It also introduces "access zones," which penalise protesting abortion or filming, intimidating or threatening patients within 150 metres of a clinic, and requires doctors and counsellors who object to abortion to refer a patient to another service.

The Examiner's political reporter Calla Wahlquist is covering the debate and will provide live coverage via Twitter.