The Virginia House of Delegates voted 64-35 Friday to strip the Virginia Board of Health's power to fund abortions for low-income women on Medicaid when a doctor certifies that the woman's fetus would be born with an extreme physical or mental deficiency. Similar legislation that was approved in a Senate Committee last Wednesday would make it state law for a woman to be given an ultrasound and see the image of the fetus before the abortion is performed. More abortion legislation, which would require a ban on abortion after 20 weeks, was struck down by the same Senate committee.
If a state redistricting plan is not approved by next month, a House committee thinks that the June state congressional primary election should be moved to August. Without little discussion last Friday, HB 736 was sent from the committee and advanced as emergency legislation. The legislature failed to complete the congressional redistricting measures last year, so the fear is that the process may not be complete in ample time for the primary. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli also asked the General Assembly to pass legislation that would move the primaries to August. He said that if not, the primaries could be disrupted if the federal government failed to approve new district lines in the state.
Del. Daniel W. Marshall II's, R-Danville, legislation to require photo identification at voting polls is moving through the House. HB 569 would restructure a number of voting laws already in the book. This would include a photo ID and proof of citizenship in order for someone to register to vote. The bill would also allow for an easier method of communication between the state Department of Motor Vehicles and the State Board of Elections as well as each locality's registrar. A similar piece of legislation, HB 9, passed the House last week that would require anyone who showed up to the polls without identification to cast a provisional ballot. HB 9 would make it okay for someone to show only a voter registration card or social security card instead of photo ID.
The so-called "Kings Dominion" law was repealed last week in the House. This law originally required school systems in the Commonwealth to open after Labor Day. The future of the bill has been questioned since a similar piece of legislation did not make it out of a Senate committee. Right now, school systems can only open early with a waiver from the State Board of Education, something that only 77 of the 132 school divisions in the states practice. Tourism lobbyists say a pre-Labor Day beginning would mean the state would take a financial hit at popular destinations.
According to the Virginia General Assembly legislation information website, a total of 1,297 bills have been introduced in the House and 684 in the Senate. In total, only 278 have passed the House, and only 199 have passed the Senate so far.
