May 1, 2012

At our annual Legislative Wrap-Up debriefing event on April 30, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia members heard from a panel of pro-choice legislators about what happened with reproductive rights bills in the General Assembly this year and released our annual scorecard rating legislators' votes.

Check out our recap of the evening's conversation on Storify, and please visit our 2012 Legislative Scorecard page to see how your representatives voted and use this information to educate others and contact lawmakers! 

March 7, 2012

Governor signs mandatory ultrasound & waiting period bill H.B. 462
Despite more than 33,000 petition signatures, four massive protests outside the Capitol, and a barrage of critical national media attention, Governor Bob McDonnell signed HB 462 into law today. HB 462 is a measure that will force Virginia women to undergo an unnecessary and costly ultrasound 24 hours before having an abortion.

February 28, 2012

A Senate committee soundly rejected H.B. 62, a bill that would have targeted low-income women facing severe unexpected complications with their pregnancies by taking away state healthcare funding for abortion in cases of fetal anomaly.

February 23, 2012

Senate Defeats Personhood Bill for the Year
The Virginia state Senate approved a motion to recommit H.B. 1, the "personhood" bill, back to committee by a vote of 24-14. That means this bill will not pass in 2012, though it could be heard again in 2013. This is a huge victory for the thousands of pro-choice Virginians who've let state lawmakers know that they would not stand for this extreme attack on women's rights and reproductive health care.

February 8, 2012

Attempt to Ban Abortion at 20 Week Abandoned
Two bills that would have outright banned abortion at 20 weeks, taking personal decisions about unforeseen circumstances in pregnancy out of the hands of women, doctors and their families, have been abandoned for this year. The Senate version of this unconstitutional proposal was voted down in committee, and now the House companion bill has been withdrawn. This is important pro-choice victory for Virginia women's rights and health.