The Virginia House of Delegates again today decided to put off voting on the Senate’s version of a bill to require women seeking an abortion to first undergo medically unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds. They also let the vote “pass by” yesterday, with a more than a thousand demonstrators lined up in a silent protest outside.
Democratic Delegate David Englin writes:
Quick update on Va. GOP’s vaginal penetration ultrasound mandate: The Senate version of the bill (Senate Bill 484) was scheduled for debate and final vote today, but House Republicans again made a motion to push off the debate and vote by another day. The same happened for Senate Bill 349, the so-called “conscience clause” bill that allows state-funded adoption and foster care agencies to discriminate against GLBT families and youth.
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House Democrats then attempted a parliamentary maneuver that would have killed the ultrasound bill forever, but that failed on a party-line vote. Therefore, both bills are now scheduled for debate and vote tomorrow.
Virginia Republicans are suddenly running scared of their own social agenda!
Back in December, Governor Bob McDonnell’s administration approved a new list of reasons adoption agencies can discriminate against prospective parents — including religion, political belief and sexual orientation. More on Virginia’s “conscience clause” for adoptions bill here.
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