Virginia Republicans have reversed their stance on a bill requiring women seeking an abortion first undergo a transvaginal ultrasound. The reversal comes after a lot of national scrutiny and a request from Governor McDonnell himself.
Virginia has been in the national spotlight in the last week, most people would say for all the wrong reasons. Now House Republicans have voted to weaken that ultrasound bill and get past all this.
It's been all over cable news and the butt of late night jokes. Now all that negative national attention and more than 33,000 signed petitions may be having an impact on a series of anti-abortion bills making their way through the General Assembly.
Wednesday, a handful of abortion rights activists walked to the governor's office to deliver those petitions asking McDonnell to veto a bill that defines life as beginning at conception and a bill that requires women seeking an abortion, first get an ultrasound. In the procedure, a wand-like device is inserted and used to send out sound waves
Following a press conference, Governor Bob McDonnell declined to comment on the controversy stating only, "I'm concerned about the budget."
But later Wednesday afternoon McDonnell issued a statement saying, "I believe there is no need to direct by statute that further invasive ultrasound procedures be done. Mandating an invasive procedure in order to give informed consent is not a proper role for the state."
Shortly after House Republicans followed suit, voting to amend the bill. Making the requirement just an option, so they can move past the controversy and all the negative attention.
As for House Bill 1 dealing with "personhood". It is scheduled to be heard in a Senate health committee Thursday morning. We will know Thursday if it makes it out of committee and on to a full Senate vote.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
