Both bills received their second reading today and will be voted on in the House tomorrow
Richmond, Va. – This evening, the Virginia House of Delegates heard their second readings of HB212 (Greenhalgh) and HB304 (Freitas). These bills would infringe upon the relationship between patients and their providers and fan the flames of anti-abortion rhetoric and misinformation. The House of Delegates will vote on both bills tomorrow, Tuesday, February 15.
These statements provided on Friday evening after the bills were reported on partisan votes out of the House Courts of Justice Committee remain relevant:
“These bills are completely divorced from the reality of health care,” said Jamie Lockhart, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia. “None of us turn to politicians for advice about breast exams, prenatal care, or cancer treatments. There is no space for politicians in the exam room when a patient is making decisions about their pregnancy. The reality is, these bills are a solution in search of a problem. They are designed to politicize and stigmatize abortion and are wholly unnecessary as medical providers are already required to provide appropriate medical care. We refuse to be silent as these offensive bills threaten clinicians for doing their jobs and shame patients who need care.”
“When our politicians add barriers to accessing a safe and necessary medical procedure and try to keep us from making health care decisions for our bodies and families,” said Breanna Diaz, Policy and Advocacy Counsel for the ACLU of Virginia, “it is clear that they favor control over facts.”
“Both of these bills are a gross example of extreme government overreach and interference in people’s personal lives and decisions. It is essential that pregnant people have access to medically accurate information and compassionate healthcare throughout their entire pregnancy, without political interference. Full stop. Let’s be clear – these bills are an attempt to criminalize medical providers and shut off access to safe, legal abortion care,” says Tarina Keene, Executive Director of Pro-Choice Virginia. “Politicians who support these extreme measures are shameless. Families need time and space to make the best decisions for themselves especially when tragedy strikes. We will not stop fighting until reproductive healthcare access and our rights are free from shame, stigma and political interference and is accessible for each and every Virginian.“
“Everyone should be able to choose whether and when to become a parent for themselves, but politicians in Richmond are trying to get between families and their personal medical decisions by passing these bills,” Ashleigh Crocker, Deputy Director at Progress Virginia, said. “If Republicans really believe that parents decide, then they should let parents make their own decision about abortion and reproductive health, and reject bills like HB212 and HB304.”
“Every month abortion funds support people who for multiple reasons would not be able to access the health care they need without our support,” said Ayé Johnson Community & Volunteer Engagement Accomplice for Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project.“One of the reasons is burdensome policies that do not serve to protect or aid. But to impede and obstruct. Why are some healthcare decisions up to Virginians and others up to the General Assembly. We trust people to know what is best for them and their families. We also trust health care professionals. These bills tell Virginians we know better than you.”
Members of the Virginia Reproductive Equity Alliance
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia
Progress Virginia
Pro-Choice Virginia
ACLU of Virginia
Whole Woman’s Health Alliance
Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice Virginia
Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project