VIRGINIA – Newly-elected Del. Tim Griffin (R-53) says he is delivering on a campaign promise to introduce legislation banning abortion.
“Voters sent us here to fight for life,” said Griffin.
On Monday, the representative for Bedford, Amherst and Nelson counties introduced House Bill No. 1364. If passed, it would ban abortion in Virginia, unless the procedure is necessary to save a mother’s life.
“We want to protect all innocent life and that’s what this bill is about,” said Griffin.
The bill does not include exceptions for rape or incest.
“We are going to protect all children. All children,” said Griffin. “Abortion is so evil.”
Griffin’s bill would also ban abortions where the fetus has an incapacitating physical deformity or mental deficiency.
“This bill is restarting that conversation that all human beings deserve the right to life,” said Griffin.
Opponents of the ban include Han Jones, the political director for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.
“This is a particularly extreme abortion ban,” said Jones. “In his bill, those people would have to carry a pregnancy to term even knowing that their baby was going to die.”
Jones worries the bill could restrict access to reproductive care for women and open the door for lawsuits.
“It bans abortion starting at conception. And that would have serious impacts for things like invitro fertilization as well as some forms of contraception,” said Jones.
An Ohio woman, Brittany Watts—who went to a hospital before suffering a miscarriage and passing her nonviable fetus in her bathroom—was charged with felony abuse of a corpse. Last week, a grand jury ruled she would not face criminal charges.
“I don’t believe that Del. Griffin understands, necessarily, all of the impacts that a bill like this could have because he’s not a health care provider working with patients in the reproductive health care space,” said Jones.
Griffin says his bill has one sole purpose:
“This bill is about protecting unborn children from the death of abortion,” said Griffin.