By Virginia Society for Human Life (VSHL)
Tragically, on Thursday, in the full Senate Education and Health committee meeting, chaired by Sen. Louise Lucas, D-18, two bills designed to advance the conversation in Virginia about protecting the lives of unborn children were killed by the Democrat pro-abortion extremists on that committee.
Two of the bills would recognize the dignity of human life in the womb. VSHL is grateful to every legislator who is seeking ways to bring legal protections to the youngest Virginians in the womb.
The focus for many this morning was the Governor Youngkin’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act which would provide protection to pre-born babies who are old enough to feel pain in the womb after 15 weeks. The Governor’s sensible bill is carried in the Senate by Sen. Steve Newman, R-23, and in the House of Delegates by Del. Kathy Byron, R-2.
Sen. T. Travis Hackwork, R-38, offered a bill that would have provided protection to unborn children starting at conception. Both bills included compassionate exceptions for the life of mother to receive medical care, as well as rape and incest exceptions.
A new poll suggests that over 60 percent of Virginians support our governor’s bill.
Also released this week was a national Marist poll that highlighted support for reasonable laws that prevent abortion after babies can feel pain as well as other commonsense laws to regulate abortion.
Sadly, the pro-abortion majority on this committee voted to pass by indefinitely which effectively kills the bill in the Senate for 2023. Because of this outcome, the fate of the House bill seems clear. Senate radicals will certainly reject any prolife bill that may come to them.
“VSHL strongly supports the Governor’s protective Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and thanks Senator Newman for presenting the bill today,” said Olivia Gans Turner, president of VSHL. “Prolife bills face uphill battles this year against the radical pro-abortion Virginia Senate members, but soon we hope to see these life-saving bills get a proper hearing and the support they deserve.”
A bill offered as a substitute to the Governor’s bill by Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, R-12, was also defeated. VSHL did not support her bill as it did little more than to codify Roe v. Wade in the code of Virginia.
“Pro-life Virginians don’t want to go backwards to the status of Roe,” Turner said. “We look forward to having the votes in place soon to provide better protection throughout pregnancy, to save babies lives, and help their mothers.”