NEWSFLASH: Pro-Choice Legislators Attempt to Repeal Ultrasound Law

The Virginia Senate has passed a repeal of its law mandating medically unnecessary ultrasounds before abortions, which went into effect last year. The Democrat-controlled Senate was in a 20-20 tie, until Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam voted for the repeal. It will now be considered by the Republican-dominated state House.

Virginia’s then-Republican-controlled Senate had originally attempted to require transvaginal ultrasounds, an invasive procedure, but after receiving a backlash from activists and the media, it decided to modify the bill to require only abdominal ultrasounds. During the early stages of pregnancy, however, there was little for a doctor to see, so the test was considered useless.

Sen. Dick Saslaw, representing the 35th district of Virginia, said during the repeal hearing:

It is nobody’s damn business who gets an abortion except for the woman seeking it and the doctor she asks to care for her.


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Lindsey O'Brien is currently studying journalism at Ohio University and interning at Ms. Follow her on Twitter.