Republicans cave to pressure, block personhood measure in Senate vote
Six Republicans joined Senate Democrats in effectively voting down legislation that would define “personhood” at conception and could in turn outlaw all abortions and some forms of FDA-approved birth control.
A 24-14 Senate vote returned the bill to a Senate committee for consideration in the 2013 General Assembly session. The vote was another defeat for social conservatives on the heels of Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell recommending changes to a measure that would have required invasive ultrasounds for women seeking abortions. Read more
Chris Graham: Is McDonnell’s point moot?
Republican voters continue to toy with the idea of nominating a social conservative to run for president this fall.
The GOP establishment, meanwhile, is trying to position itself to be able to take advantage of the only thing that may be working in their favor.
“I am extremely concerned by recent reports that oil and gasoline prices continue to rise and gas could reach an average of $4.25 a gallon by April,” Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell said in a political statement released today. Read more
Crossover: Dems Repubs offer views on ’12 GA session
At a press conference in Richmond on Thursday, members of the House and Senate Democratic caucuses stood together to denounce the dozens of extreme, divisive bills passed over the first month of session.
Republican leaders then responded with a press event aimed at highlighting what they termed their “positive reform agenda.”
“Republicans are so focused on divisive policies that they are hindering our efforts at progress, putting our kids’ education at risk, and leaving them less prepared for the future,” said Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Donald McEachin (D-Henrico). “In the last four weeks, Senate and House Republicans have introduced hundreds of bills that target the poor, women, and immigrants, make it harder to vote, and discriminate against gays and lesbians. It’s time for Republicans to put divisive ideology and raw partisanship aside. Read more
Ken Plum: Protecting the health of women
Virginia is in the process of adopting 26 pages of new regulations for health clinics that perform first-term abortions. The General Assembly in a bill that I voted against mandated the regulations be issued without public comment as emergency regulations to become effective January 1, 2012. Currently the 22 clinics that are now regulated as out-patient centers will under the new Health Department rules be regulated as hospitals. The necessity of the emergency regulations according to the proponents is to protect the health of women. Proponents include the Family Foundation and the Catholic Church, both of whom oppose any abortions. No evidence of the harm that has come to women who used the clinics in the past was offered. Opponents say the regulations are likely to close all the clinics in Virginia because none will be able to afford to meet the hospital standards which they say is the real intent of the regulations. Opponents include Planned Parenthood and NARAL.
Ironically the individuals who are supporting the regulation of health clinics are for the most part opponents of government regulations. They are advocates of less government. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its wide ranging authority to issue regulations for clean air and water and environmental protection is often the subject of their wrath. At the same time that regulations to ensure that your water is safe to drink and that air pollution be cleaned up are being challenged as being anti-business and government intrusion, stiff regulations to protect women from unspecified health damages while reducing their access to a legal medical procedure are being advanced.
Governor McDonnell who signed the bill requiring the regulations will review them before they become effective, but he is not expected to change them in any way to reduce their impact. Emergency regulations are effective for one year while new regulations are written. Given the appointees by Governor McDonnell to the State Board of Health, the more permanent regulations are not likely to be less stringent. Adoption of permanent regulations will provide a required opportunity for public comment. The public will have an opportunity to weigh in on whether this expansion of the regulatory authority of big, anti-business government is necessary to protect the health of women, or will the regulations result as many fear in more women’s health being put in jeopardy as they face the most difficult personal decision they will ever have to make.
Ken Plum is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
ACLU: Law signed by McDonnell threatens reproductive freedom
Gov. Bob McDonnell has signed a bill requiring the Virginia Board of Health to issue regulations requiring abortion clinics that perform five or more first trimester abortions a month to be categorized as hospitals.
The ACLU of Virginia and other reproductive rights advocates opposed the bill when it was introduced in the General Assembly and have expressed concerns that the ensuing regulations will unconstitutionally restrict access to abortions.
The bill, SB 924 is an example of what is commonly referred to as “targeted regulation of abortion providers,” or TRAP, legislation and is intended to make abortions too expensive for clinics to offer them, or if the costs are passed on to patients, too expensive for women who need them. The Education and Health Committee of the Virginia Senate has routinely voted down such legislation after it passed the House of Delegates. However, this year the TRAP provisions came in the form of a House floor amendment that then went directly to the Senate floor.
“We are disappointed that the governor, like the General Assembly, decided to put politics above women’s constitutional rights and reproductive health,” said ACLU of Virginia executive director Kent Willis. “In signing this bill into law, Governor McDonnell has singled out abortion providers for completely unwarranted and burdensome regulations that could jeopardize the health of women, particularly those who are least able to afford medical care.”
Ultimately, the effect of the law will depend on the regulations promulgated by the Board of Health. The regulations, which will likely include upgrades to facilities and higher standards for staffing and equipment, may require most clinics to undergo unnecessary and costly renovations.
“There is no study or expert medical opinion behind this bill,” added Willis. “Abortions in Virginia, which are already regulated, are safe. Widening hallways, adding equipment and requiring additional staffing, which are the likely requirements of the new regulations, will not make it any safer.”
“Whether or not there will be a legal challenge will depend on what the Board of Health does,” said Willis. “We’ll be closely monitoring how the board proceeds with its deliberations, and while no one in state government is completely immune from politics, we are hopeful that professionalism will ultimately win out over politics.”
Why abortion is the wrong fight in the health-care debate
Column by Rev. Anthony Butler
Submit guest columns: freepress2@ntelos.net
As a Baptist minister from Nebraska (born in Louisiana), I have watched from the pulpit as three formative events profoundly reshaped America’s view of its destiny and possibilities: the 9-11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina, and the recent economic meltdown.
I hoped that last year, life would have been better for my congregants. While standing with millions in Washington, D.C. listening to President Obama’s inaugural address, I reflected on the fact that it heralded an end to the Reagan era: a time in which government was viewed as the problem. Our new President instead promised us that government would be part of the solution – not the whole solution, mind you – but a critical part, including setting new rules to ensure that more Americans would have a fair shake. Read more
Gabrielle Goodrick: Women deserve factual medical information, even about abortion care
Posted by afp on April 23, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Women deserve complete, accurate information about their health care. In my practice, I ensure that women receive the counseling and education that is relevant to their care, and document medical informed consent to show that the patient’s decision is voluntary and informed. Patients’ informed consent laws were developed by public health officials to make sure that people understand the medical treatments they receive. Unfortunately, under the guise of caring about women’s health, abortion opponents in my state of Arizona have pushed our governor and legislators to mandate onerous requirements before a woman can terminate a pregnancy. Their version of medical information is based on ideology, not medical facts. Read more
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