April 23, 2010

This week during the Virginia General Assembly veto session the Governor Bob McDonnell’s pro-life budget amendment that brings Virginia more in line with the federal Hyde Amendment was adopted, which requires Virginia to pay for Medicaid abortions in cases of rape, incest and life of the mother.   Unfortunately, the Governor’s amendment was unable to prevent taxpayer paying for abortions in the case of “gross or severe fetal abnormality” as required under a pre-existing Virginia statute.

The Virginia Society for Human Life Board of Directors wants to thank the members of the House of Delegates and the State Senate who supported this pro-life amendment and voted for its adoption into the budget.  The vote in the Senate was 20-19 with Democrat Senators Chuck Colgan, Roscoe Reynolds and Philip Puckett joining the Republicans to vote in favor of the amendment. Senator Mark Obenshain did a masterful job of defending the proposed budget change on the floor.  The vote in the House was 64 -30 in favor of the pro-life amendment.

VSHL also wants to express deep appreciation for all of you who took the time and effort to contact your representatives, either by phone, e-mail, fax or letter regarding support for the Governor’s pro-life amendment which limits the proposed spending of Virginia’s taxpayer’s money for abortions in the Commonwealth.  A special thanks to the pro-life advocacy partners with whom we worked closely with in the days before this important vote.

If you would like to information on how your Delegate or Senator voted on the pro-life amendment, please contact the VSHL office.

For life,

Maggie Disney

Virginia Society for Human Life, Inc.

804.560.8745 voice

804.560.8746 fax

vshl67@comcast.net

www.vshl.org

Governor McDonnell Proposes Pro-Life Budget Amendment

The General Assembly will reconvene on Wednesday, April 21^st where the proposed budget amendments submitted by Governor Bob McDonnell will be considered.

Virginia Society for Human Life supports the following proposed pro-life budget amendment:

“No expenditures from general or non-general fund sources may be made out of any appropriation by the General Assembly for providing abortion services, except as otherwise required by federal law or state statute.” 

Immediate Action Needed: 

The time is now to contact your Delegate and Senator  - Pro-Life Virginians need to make your voices heard.

Contact your Delegate and Senator and requesting that he/she ask support the above amendment banning state funding of abortion services.   Unborn babies need your voice.

Be sure to give your name and address so that he/she will know that you are his/her constituent.

You can go to the VSHL Virginia General Assembly website http://www.vshl.org/virginia_general_assembly.html  to contact your delegate.

Citizen influence at this important time on the Virginia State Budget is extremely effective.  It is critical that this pro-life amendment be ratified.

If you need further information, please contact the VSHL office.  

Please forward this alert to your pro-life family and friends now.

Thank you for all your efforts on behalf of all human life!

For life,

Maggie Disney

Virginia Society for Human Life, Inc.

804.560.8745 voice

804.560.8746 fax

vshl67@comcast.net

www.vshl.org

Pro-Life Bills in Committee on Thursday, March 4th

Thursday, March 4th, the Virginia General Assembly Senate Education and Health Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m., in Senate Room B of the Virginia General Assembly Building.  At that time the following three pro-life bills will be considered:

HB1042, patroned by Delegate Kathy Byron (R-22, Campbelll)

Requires that every mother shall be given the opportunity to view an ultrasound image of her unborn baby prior to the abortion.    This bill passed  the House of Delegates on a vote of 65-33.

HB393, patroned by Delegate Matt Lohr (R-26, Harrisonburg)

Requires all abortion clinics, defined as any facility other than a hospital or an ambulatory surgery center in which 25 or more first trimester abortions are performed in any 12-month period, to be licensed and regulated by the Board of Health.  This bill passed the House of Delegates on a vote

of 72-25.

HB334, patroned by Delegate Bob Marshall (R-13, Prince William)

Requires information on the effects abortion may have on future pregnancies to be included in the information required for informed consent.  This bill passed the House of Delegates on a vote

of  95-2.

Citizen influence at this important frame of time for the adoption of state laws protecting innocent human life from conception until natural death would be extremely effective.    

If you live near Richmond and can join us, please try to attend the Senate Education & Health Committee meeting and let your presence be seen.  Contact the VSHL office for more information.

Please contact the members of the Senate Committee on Education & Health and ask them to support HB1042, HB393, and HB334 as reported from the House of Delegates.

You can go  to the VSHL Virginia General Assembly website http://www.vshl.org/virginia_general_assembly.html  to contact your delegate or senator and to get further information on these items. 

Constituent Viewpoint Hotline Number is 800.889.0229 or 804.698.1990.

If you need further information, please contact the VSHL office.