In spotlight, ultrasound bill headed to governor

After garnering national attention and jokes at the state's expense, a bill to require ultrasounds of women about to undergo an abortion will likely head to Gov. Bob McDonnell after final passage in the House of Delegates today.

On Monday, about 1,000 people appeared at the Capitol to oppose the measure as part of a women's rights rally that came together quickly through social media and word of mouth.

Thanks in part to left-leaning political pundits such as MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and a satirical take on the issue from "Saturday Night Live," the legislation has made its way into the national spotlight, raising a furor from opponents who see the proposed requirement as wildly invasive.

That's due in part to the fact that trans-vaginal ultrasounds are the only method available to doctors that early in a woman's pregnancy.

Del. L. Kaye Kory, D-Fairfax, said in a speech on the House floor Monday that the requirement would force women to "submit to involuntary vaginal penetration."

Added Kory: "This (legislative) body is mounting an assault on the freedom and liberty of women in the commonwealth of Virginia."

Shortly after the protesters locked arms and silently lined the sidewalks and streets of Capitol Square, the House delayed until today a final vote on the measure, Senate Bill 484, sponsored by Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Fauquier.

In addition to the ultrasound requirement, the bill would require the woman be offered a chance to view the image of her fetus prior to the abortion.

At an afternoon rally, Sen. Barbara A. Favola, D-Arlington, called the measure "emotional blackmail" and "demeaning" to women.

"You are really taking on one of the most important civil rights battles of our century," she told hundreds gathered at the Bell Tower.

Favola said she feared the requirement could also be a costly one, saying that insurance companies would probably not cover the ultrasound procedure because it was "not medically necessary."

Del. Kathy J. Byron, R-Campbell, who sponsored the House's version of the bill, said numerous misconceptions about the bill are circulating, which is driving the negative attention surrounding it.

She said that both Planned Parenthood and federal abortion guidelines recommend the ultrasound as best practice to determine gestational age.

"The only way that they can determine the age of the fetus at an early age is by performing a trans-vaginal ultrasound, and they're already doing this procedure as a common procedure at Planned Parenthood," Byron said.

Byron said that providing a precise age builds on the state's existing informed consent law and helps ensure the safety of the woman.

"It's all well within our goal of making fully informed medical decisions," added Del. C. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah.

At the afternoon rally, Del. Mark D. Sickles, D-Fairfax, said the ultrasound bill and a pending measure to define life as beginning at conception had made Virginia "a national laughingstock."

Multiple speakers called on Gov. Bob McDonnell to veto the abortion-related bills if they reach his desk. But Del. David L. Englin, D-Alexandria, said he had no faith that would be the outcome.

"Governor McDonnell does not have the courage to veto any of these bills," he said.

The issue will be a tricky balancing act for McDonnell, who is widely considered a potential GOP choice for vice president.

In late January, McDonnell indicated support for the ultrasound measure, saying on a radio show that "to be able to have that information before making what most people would say is a very important, serious, life-changing decision I think is appropriate."

More recently, however, McDonnell has been less decisive, with a spokesman saying Saturday that "if the bill passes he will review it, in its final form, at that time."

A recently released Christopher Newport University/Richmond Times-Dispatch poll showed that the majority of Virginians reject the measure. Of those surveyed, 55 percent say they oppose the legislation while 36 percent support it.