Other Pro-Life Bills in the 2000 General Assembly

Reporting of Complications

Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas) introduced HB 1055 to require the reporting of any complications from an abortion that occur within 60 days after its performance. The requirement would apply to any physician regardless of whether he performed the abortion. The House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee reported it out on a close 10-9 vote. On the House floor, the bill was broadened to apply to any outpatient and inpatient surgical procedure and it then passed the House by an overwhelming 89-11 margin. Seven of the nine delegates who voted against the abortion-related bill in committee voted for the more general bill on the House floor (see vote H2).

In the Senate, the bill was assigned to the Education and Health Committee where it was killed on a 10-4 vote (see vote S3).

Murder of Aborted Newborn

Del. Dick Black (R-Sterling) addressed the issue of an aborted baby that lives. He introduced HB 325 to establish a prison term for "the willful and deliberate killing of a living child immediately after an attempted abortion of such child." The bill was assigned to the House Courts of Justice Committee where it was carried over until next year on a unanimous vote.

Sale of Body Parts of Aborted Child

Delegates Dick Black and Bob Marshall jointly introduced HB 327 to prohibit the sale of body parts of an aborted child. The law already prohibits sale of body parts but this bill adds wording specifically relating to an aborted baby. Although the bill was reported out of the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, the House then referred it to the House Courts of Justice Committee where it was carried over until next year on a unanimous vote.

Published in VSHL Lifesaver, April 2000