Virginia Republican Proposes Total Abortion Ban for State to Consider in January
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Susan Rinkunas December 9, 2022, 2:55 PM·2 min read In this article:
- Glenn YoungkinAmerican businessman and politician
In a bleak reminder that the fallout from the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade is nowhere near over, a lawmaker in Virginia has proposed a total abortion ban for the legislature to consider in January. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) wants a ban on abortion at 15 weeks, and the public comparing these two options is very convenient for him.
Delegate Marie March (R) recently pre-filed House Bill 1395, which would define life as beginning at fertilization, thereby banning abortion and potentially even jeopardizing access to emergency contraception—because some conservatives wrongly believe Plan B is akin to abortion.
Virginia has two Democratic Senators, and the state has voted for the Democratic presidential nominee in every election since 2008. But Republicans took control of the House of Delegates in 2021, when the state elected Youngkin. The state senate remains in Democratic control, so it's unclear whether an abortion ban could pass that chamber.
As the advocacy organization Repro Rising Virginia hasnoted on social media, March's bill performs the neat trick of making Youngkin's proposal look "reasonable" by comparison. No abortion ban is reasonable, as every single one denies people their agency and puts their health and lives at risk.
It's not clear if March is working directly with Youngkin or just wants to shoot for the moon, but either way, her bill will definitely help his cause. On the day the Court overturned Roe , Youngkin said he would pursue a 15-week ban and that he'd asked four state lawmakers to propose legislation.
Abortion is currently available in Virginia through the end of the second trimester, or about 26 weeks, and after that if the pregnant person's life or health is in danger. Either bill passing would be terrible news for Virginians, as well as people traveling to the state for care.
The Virginia Reproductive Equity Alliance said of HB 1395 in a statement: "In the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and despite the vast majority of Virginians who oppose it, Virginia's anti-abortion elected officials keep proving there are no limits to their extremism and true intentions to ban abortion for all Virginians." (Repro Rising is one of the 13 VREA member organizations.)
Virginia's legislature reconvenes starting on January 11, and it's far from the only state that will be pursuing new limits on abortion in 2023 now that Roe 's protections are gone. Buckle up.
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Next Virginia will the transitioning to solid blue!
Maybe, for 2023:
US Sen - 2 Dem
US House - 6 Dem / 5 Repub
GOV, LT Gov, AG - 3 Repub
State Sen - 21 Dem / 18 Repub
State Rep - 52 Rep / 47 Dem
15 weeks has a chance for support from the majority of people or at least not piss off as many. Total ban pushing and talk is one of the reasons the Repubs didn't do as well as they could have in the midterms. They are as good at learning by their mistakes as the dems.
Idiots.
Which is rarely...if ever
Shapiro's gonna be Pennsylvania governor for eight years because of intransigence. And now, Uncle Fester gets a looong ride on Santorum's stupidity.
What's next? Requiring horse watering troughs to be installed in all commercial areas? I would love to be returned to the early 1950s, but not to prior to 1900 like the Republicans must be hoping for.
A total ban? Look at the bright side. A rapist or man that impregnates a minor or adult could not be prosecuted because he would be, after all, the legal father. Makes sense, right?
makes sense to the assholes who support this ignorance
No it does not make sense. Both rape and incest are both criminal offensives in their own right and as such are both prosecutable. Fatherhood, legal or not means nothing.
“Fatherhood, legal or not means nothing.”
Good gawd, man. Here’s hoping you never procreated. That could be the single most disgusting comment ever posted here.
And it was of them of whom I spoke.
They can not see that abortion restriction lose elections