2017 General Assembly: Bills Involving Women, Reproductive Health, and Abortion

Note: Bills can still be filed until January 20th, so new items may be added. To see my master list of 2017 legislative topics, click here.

The letters before a bill’s number designate its chamber of origin. HB= House Bill, SB= Senate Bill, HR= House Resolution, etc.

Bills to support:

HB 153 and SB 877 both overturn Virginia’s rule mandating that abortion clinics be held to the same architectural standards as hospitals. This rule, which is now being phased out by the Board of Health after a long political fight, is an example of a legislative strategy called TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers). TRAP laws are intended to end poor people’s access to abortion without actually mounting a challenge of the procedure’s legality, by closing clinics.

HB 1593: Exempts toilet paper, adult diapers, and menstrual hygiene products from sales tax.

SJ 221: Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution, which reads “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

Bills to oppose:

HB 1473: Prohibits abortion after 20 weeks gestation under the premise that, at this age, a fetus can feel pain. This is an attempt to undermine the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which found that abortion is protected under a person’s right to privacy until 24 weeks gestation. The argument that a fetus can feel pain at four months is also 1. Unproven, and 2. Of limited relevance. A pregnant person’s right to their body still takes precedence.

HR: 268: A resolution to establish the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision which established the legality of abortion, as the “Day of Tears.”