Senate Committee Votes Against Abortion Restriction Bill, Strengthening Virginia’s Reproductive Rights Protections

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – The Virginia Senate committee voted to reject a bill that would have required medical professionals to treat and care for liveborn infants after a failed abortion.

House Bill 304 was the last remaining abortion-restricting bill in the legislature that ended March 12.

Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), a longtime advocate for women’s suffrage, felt the bill’s scrapping was a major victory.

“Over the past two years, Virginia has made great strides in protecting reproductive rights and removing unnecessary barriers that stood between patients and their healthcare professionals,” McClellan said in a statement. “In this session, the Senate sent a clear message: We will not turn back the clock on access to abortion and reproductive rights in Virginia.”

The news comes just a day after Florida’s Republican-led Senate passed a bill Ban on abortions after 15 weeks.

“Virginia Senate Democrats have ensured our Commonwealth of the South remains a leader in protecting access to abortion and reproductive rights,” McClellan said of the Florida law. “We have made tremendous strides, but the fight to protect these achievements continues.”

The Senate committee voted 11-4 to pass the bill indefinitely, effectively ending the measure.

Those who voted in favor of the motion were Sen. Mamie Locke (D), Sen. Dick Saslaw (D), Sen. Janet Howell (D), Sen. Louise Lucas (D), Sen. John Edwards (D), Sen. Creigh Deeds (D), Senator David Marsden (D), Senator George Barker (D), Senator Barbara Favola (D), Senator Adam Ebbin (D) and Senator Jeremy McPike (D).

Those who voted against were Sen. Chap Petersen (D), Sen. Tommy Norment (R), Sen. Ryan McDougle (R) and Sen. Stephen Newman (R).