A bill that would roll back the requirement that a woman undergo an ultrasound prior to obtaining an abortion has cleared the House of Delegates.
The Reproductive Health Protection Act passed the House Thursday by a 53-45 vote.
The bill, SB 733, introduced by Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, and incorporating bills from Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, D-Fairfax, SB 21, and Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie E. Locke, D-Hampton, SB 68, also strikes from the state code the requirement that medical professionals provide specified information and offer to review certain printed materials as part of the informed written consent prior to performing any abortion.
The bill had passed the Senate back on Jan. 29 with Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax breaking a 20-20 vote from the senators.
“For far too long, Virginia has had medically unnecessary laws on the books specifically designed to stand between a woman and her right to make her own healthcare decisions. That is finally beginning to change,” McClellan said.
“For years, Senate Democrats have fought to empower women to make their own reproductive health decisions, and in today’s political climate that fundamental right is in jeopardy,” Locke said. “The Reproductive Health Protection Act works to roll back many of the barriers that currently stand between a woman and her right to make her own healthcare decisions here in Virginia.”
Story by Chris Graham
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