Late on Friday, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D) vetoed House Bill 4588, a measure that would have outlawed abortions after 20 weeks in West Virginia. In a statement regarding his decision, the governor explained that the abortion ban would be a “detriment of the health and safety of expectant mothers,” and noted that it violates the constitution.
“I believe there is no greater gift of love than the gift of life,” Gov. Tomblin said. “However, I have vetoed HB 4588 because I am advised, by not only attorneys from the legislature, but through my own legal team that this bill is unconstitutional.”
Under Roe v. Wade, abortion is legal up until the point of viability, which typically occurs around 24 weeks of pregnancy. Twenty-week bans — also often called “fetal pain bans,” since they’re based on the scientifically disputed theory that fetuses can feel pain after that point — seek to narrow that window. It’s an effective method of gradually chipping away at women’s reproductive rights.
Abortion opponents have furthered this incremental strategy in states across the country, capitalizing on the emotional outrage about later abortion procedures to enact 20-week bans in nine states. West Virginia would have represented a particularly significant milestone in this push to limit abortion access. If Tomblin hadn’t vetoed HB 4588, it would have been the first 20-week ban to become law in a Democratic-controlled state — ultimately, allowing the anti-choice community to construe this policy as moderate by pointing to bipartisan support for fetal pain restrictions.
Whew! Really dodged a bullet with that one!
In 2013 twenty two states enacted a total of seventy abortion restrictions, and there are no indications that these attacks on Roe vs Wade are going to stop anytime soon.
This is yet ANOTHER reason why Democrats in local elections need to get out the vote and work to elect politicians who respect a woman's right to choose.
If the demographic predictions are accurate than time is on our side, however until then we have to fight to preserve the rights that so many fought so hard to attain.
We currently live in NC, where we have a conservative governor and a veto-proof Republican majority in the state house and senate. The economy sucks, but rather than focus on job the leadership of our state has taken steps to limit abortion, curb voter rights, ban gay marriage and outlaw Sharia law. Yes, seriously. Sharia law. Because you're a lot more likely to become the victim of Sharia law in NC than you are to get raped and need an abortion.
ReplyDeleteWhen McAuliffe ran for governor of VA, we watched that race very closely. When he won, we started looking in Virginia for a place to live. We close on our new place there in a couple of weeks.
Virginia may still be conservative, but it's more sensible than NC. And the progressive northern VA voters will keep that state from going the way of NC. We have progressives in the Triangle, but not enough to sway elections against the conservative backlash that still persists since Obama took the state in '08, briefly making me proud.
Conservative states are going to suffer a brain drain. No one with any intelligence wants to live in a state that's an embarrassment. We're the kind of residents states want - homeowners and taxpayers in possession of just enough disposable income to make local business glad to see us walk in the door. Thanks to NC policies, that will be heading to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Articles like the one you posted here make me realize it's the right decision for us.
@ 12:17.
DeleteGood for you! And congratulations on your new home!
But until we can get rid of the American Taliban - or at least, make it just a voice in the wind - we will have to fight everywhere!
Whew! Thanks for the good news.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the total cost is nationwide for all these extremists trying to pass unconstitutional laws. It just doesn't seem very fiscally responsible on top of them treading on the uteri of this country.
ReplyDeleteAfter the Supreme Court ruling today, I'm sorry, Gryph, but this country is fucked. We are so fucked. There is no way enough people are going to be motivated enough to turn the tide against the Hundreds of Millions of dollars that are going to be poured into the elections now.
ReplyDelete