RICHMOND, Va. – With a newly empowered Democratic majority at the Virginia General Assembly, abortion-rights advocates say the state has a chance to roll back decades of restrictions and become a “safe haven” for women in neighboring conservative states.
Pro-choice groups are pushing to undo Republican-backed laws including a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion and requirements for ultrasound and counseling.
A Senate committee passed that bill Thursday, a day after a House committee advanced that chamber’s version.
Abortion opponents argue the laws protect a pregnant woman’s health and safety and are prudent given the gravity of the decision to obtain an abortion.