So... where are we now?

This week is coming to a close, and what a hell of a ride it was. After Monday's protest, the spotlight from the national news made the 'anti-choicers' run for cover. [Sorry, I refuse to call them 'pro-lifers'.] SB 484 and HB 1 have met rather dramatic deaths, HB 462 has been neutered, and now all eyes are on HB 62. HB 62 is the intentionally cruel bill that singles out the most poor and helpless women being toted by Del. Cole and Del. Marshall.

"[Repealing] Funding for certain abortions.  Repeals the section authorizing the Board of Health to fund abortions for women who meet the financial eligibility criteria of the State Plan for Medical Assistance in cases in which a physician certifies that he believes that the fetus would be born with a gross and totally incapacitating physical deformity or mental deficiency." http://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2012/hb62/

Really Delegates? Does your zealotry know no boundaries? Last year the state spent about $10,000 in all on funding this procedure- so this is HARDLY a budgetary concern.

But believe it or not, there have been some good bills have been introduced this session. Delegate Patrick Hope's "anti-shackling bill" would have banned the shackling of female prisoners during labor. It died in subcommittee at the hands of Delegate Ben Cline and the Militia, Police, and Public Safety subcommittee despite many passionate pleas for it's passing.

One that is not dead yet, but on it's way to the guillotine is the decades-old Equal Rights Amendment Ratification bill (SJ 130). Believe it or not, Virginia has yet to ratify the 1972 amendment guaranteeing equal rights for all. This bill will likely be heard next Friday at 9:00am in the House Privileges and Elections Committee.

The pro-choice members of the General Assembly are the most energized I've seen them all session. Before Monday, they were all but certain to leave the 2012 General Assembly in defeat. The tide has turned and now they need our help to not only stop these bills this session, but to send the message to the anti-choice legislators that stomping on and threatening women's rights will no longer go unanswered.