TRI In The News
'Personhood' Bill Advances to House Floor
From The Richmond Times-Dispatch
Original article available here
With next week's crossover deadline looming, one of this session's most contentious bills, which would define life as beginning at conception, is on its way to the floor of the House of Delegates.
House Bill 1, sponsored by Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William, a staunch anti-abortion conservative, would impart the rights of "personhood" to a human embryo at the moment of conception.
The bill was reported out of the House Courts of Justice Committee late Friday on a 14-4 party line vote, with Democrats arguing that it would effectively make it illegal to terminate a pregnancy, or even allow women to use contraception that prevents the implantation of a fertilized egg.
Marshall says the bill merely creates a civil cause of action for the wrongful death of an unborn child as legal remedy for parents whose unborn child is killed by the negligent or criminal act of a third party.
Several religious, family and pro-life groups offered support for the bill in a packed committee room, while others railed against the legislation as a veiled attack on women's rights.
Rita M. Dunaway, a staff attorney at The Rutherford Institute who helped draft the bill, said "opponents of this bill have engaged in fear-mongering."
Del. Jennifer L. McClellan, D-Richmond, said that the legislation would apply all uses of "person" in the state code to "unborn people," which she called a "recipe for chaos."
She added that the effect of the law would be to create obstacles for doctors by the threat of litigation.
"I want my doctor focusing on my health and the health of my unborn child," she said.
An identical bill passed the House last year and was killed in committee upon reaching the Senate, then controlled by Democrats. Republicans now control that evenly split chamber with Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling breaking ties.
