Virginia House Democrats sum up my feelings perfectly: “As if the events of yesterday weren’t enough, legislative Republicans continue on their course to pass extreme bill after extreme bill.” And, of course, Virginia “Republicans are completely out of step with the priorities of Virginia families.” Not that they care, of course. Nor do they care that “personhood” is so extreme, that even the voters of deep, deep “red” Mississippi rejected it soundly this past November. Hopefully, Virginia voters will turn out in droves this November and reject these divisive-social-issues-all-the-time Republicans, along with their loony-tunes ideas, up and down the ballot here in Virginia as well.
HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS DENOUNCES ADVANCEMENT OF OVERREACHING ‘PERSONHOOD’ BILL
Richmond – Continuing the General Assembly’s month-long fixation with divisive social issues and restricting women’s health, the Republican-led Senate Education and Health Committee today passed HB1 along an 8-7 party-line vote. The bill, introduced by Del. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William), grants embryos legal “personhood” at the moment of conception and may outlaw abortion.
The Senate did approve an amendment to the bill exempting birth control, but that amendment failed in the House on a 64 to 34 vote when introduced by Del. Vivian Watts (D-Fairfax) last week. HB1 now heads to the Senate floor, where Republican Lt. Governor Bill Bolling can break ties in the evenly-divided chamber.
“As if the events of yesterday weren’t enough, legislative Republicans continue on their course to pass extreme bill after extreme bill,” said Del. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond). “Neither common sense, medical fact, nor public opinion seems able to sway Republicans from enacting the most overreaching legislation possible.”
“The priorities of House and Senate Republicans are completely out of step with the priorities of Virginia families,” remarked Democratic Caucus Chair Mark Sickles (D-Franconia). “I wish we had spent as much time on transportation and education as we have on divisive social issues.”
The Republican-led House of Delegates passed the “personhood” bill on a 66-34 vote last week. If the bill emerges from the full Senate, it will head to Gov. McDonnell, who described himself yesterday as someone who believes governments have a duty to protect “innocent human life.”
At the same committee, Senate Republicans also advanced HB462, the medically-unnecessary ultrasound bill that passed the House last week prior to a national uproar.
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