Virginia Must Stop Democrat Measure Creating Right to Kill Babies in Abortions
The abortion industry and abortion promoter groups have set their sights on the Commonwealth of Virginia in order to make it the unlimited abortion destination of the South. Current law in the Commonwealth allows abortions through pregnancy with minor restrictions in the later weeks of pregnancy. This dreadful amendment is the number one priority of radical members of the General Assembly and their allies, the abortion businesses of Virginia.
“The deceptively named ‘Fundamental Right to Reproductive Freedom’ is a dangerous bill that will prevent the people of Virginia from passing any new legislation to provide protection to preborn babies, including laws that will prevent abortions after babies can feel pain in the womb or in the later months of pregnancy,” said Olivia Gans Turner, president of VSHL. “It could also prohibit passage of laws to protect women from coercion to abort a pregnancy, or to receive much needed informed consent before an abortion. It will also threaten parents’ right to know before a minor aged daughter can receive an abortion. There is nothing moderate about this bill.”
On November 13th action in the Virginia House of Delegates Privileges and Elections Committee proved that the pro-abortion majority has no interest in doing things in a fair and open way or with respect for the right of the public to be involved in the debate.
Pro-abortion legislators, who hold a majority in the House of Delegates, passed their extreme Unlimited Abortion Up to Birth Amendment to the Virginia Constitution out of the Privileges and Election Committee. The next step is a vote on the floor of the full House in January. The committee moved the bill forward in a back door manner, assuring that the bill will not have another hearing allowing for new public comment.
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The committee agenda on Nov. 13th was not posted for the public to see and comment on until 24 hours before the meeting. To make matters worse, a last-minute substitute version was introduced at the meeting, denying the chance for legislators or the public to read and study it.
Several Republican members of the Committee raised serious objections over the questionable process but were ignored. Big thanks to Delegates Gilbert, O’Quinn, P. Scott and Leftwich for voicing opposition and the concerns of many in the room. They reminded all in attendance that we are talking about abortion, which always kills one person, the baby and often harms the mother.
Public comment was also restricted at the meeting. Those opposed greatly outnumbered those in favor. More than 55 people opposed to HJ1 attended in person and 14 online. Chair Del. Marcia Price limited comments to 15 minutes in person and only 5 minutes for those online.
The vote was along party lines 12 tostat 9 and means that now this radical measure will go straight to the full House of Delegates on Jan 8, 2025, when the new General Assembly session opens. Passage during this session is the first step in the two-year process towards creating a ballot measure.
When asked by the chair if the proposed amendment will interfere with the Virginia Parental consent law, the official attorney for the Committee admitted that a future court
challenge could interpret the requirement as a burden to access to abortion. That is exactly why VSHL has insisted that the vague language is anything but harmless.
Several other states where similar amendments have passed, including Kansas, Michigan, and Ohio, have already seen their protective pro-life laws overturned because of the interpretation of these dangerous amendments. Virginia has a longer process, but last week’s vote will likely push the bill to the floor of the House in the first days of the upcoming 2025 General Assembly and one step closer to putting unborn children and their mothers in even greater danger.
“Amendments like this one are more accurately called the ‘Unlimited Abortion Up to Birth,’ and only serve the interests of abortion promoters and businesses.” said Gans Turner.
“Virginia has already seen a large jump in the number of abortion facilities and efforts to make the state the abortion capital of the South. Passage of this amendment will only cement that plan. In the end women and babies will suffer as abortion promoters grow rich.”
It is essential that pro-life people and all concerned Virginians continue to voice their opposition to this extreme amendment. Please keep sharing the VSHL action center link: https://vshl.org/legislative-action-center2/#/117 with your family and friends from now until the new year.
Prolife people will be welcome to join VSHL and others during the opening week at the Capitol as well.
If pro-abortion legislators want to push this amendment forward in this process towards the ballot, we will make sure that the understand that the people of Virginia are watching!
ACTION ALERT: Contact members of the Virginia House of Delegrates and tell them to OPPOSE the bill creating a right to abortion.