UPDATE:
Efforts are under way in the Virginia Senate to modify legislation that would require a woman to have an ultrasound before having an abortion.
Senate Bill 484, sponsored by Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Fauquier, had passed the Republican-controlled Senate Education and Health committee on an 8-7 party-line vote. It was on track to clear the Senate today before Vogel withdrew the bill for the day at the request of another member of the chamber.
Supporters of the legislation, including anti-abortion groups, say the ultrasound requirement is a necessary component of informed consent prior to the procedure that would help determine the exact gestational age of the fetus.
Opponents say the bill compels physicians to perform an unnecessary and costly medical procedure and is a thinly-veiled attempt to shame and intimidate women from having an abortion.
The legislation would also require the phsyician to ask the woman if she wants to view the ultrasound image, but does not require the woman to do so.
An amendment being formulated by Democrats would require a physician to offer an ultrasound, but make the ultrasound optional for the patient.
In order to be successful, Democrats would need to win over two anti-abortion members of their party, Sen. Charles J. Colgan, D-Prince William, and Sen. Phillip Pucket, D-Russell, who previously have voted for measures that critics say restrict access to abortion and abortion providers.
They would also need to convince one Republican to join them, because a 20-20 party split on the issue would allow Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who presides over the Senate to break the tie.
The measure is expected to come up for a final vote in the Senate on Wednesday.
(This has been a breaking news update.)
Gov. Bob McDonnell this morning said he supports a measure expected to clear the Senate today that would require a woman receive an ultrasound before having an abortion.
"I think it gives full information," McDonnell said on Washington's WTOP. "An ultrasound… it's modern technology, the costs have been driven down, 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."
Asked if the decision to give an ultrasound should be up to the woman's doctor, McDonnell said the General Assembly has already required informed consent in medical procedures.
"We already spell out … a number of things that have to be provided in the interest of the patient. So this is not unusual."
If the bill clears the Senate today, it heads to the Republican-controlled House of Delegates, where a similar measure passed in 2010.
Under the bill, the woman is given the choice to view and receive a printed copy of the ultrasound image.
McDonnell said that he thinks the legislators are "doing a very good job as a group" working on the topics he laid out, including pension reform, and changes to higher education and K-12 education.
"Some people are tying to make political hay by saying, 'Look, you should be scared now, Republicans are in control,' but that's just not correct," he said.
He said Democrats have proposed tax increases and selling marijuana in ABC stores.
"They've got a lot of wacky ideas over there that I would say aren't ready for prime time either," he said.
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