Governor Signs Ultrasound Bill

Capital News Service

RICHMOND – The much-debated bill that requires ultrasound testing before abortions has been signed into law by Gov. Bob McDonnell.

House Bill 462, proposed by Delegate Kathy Byron, R-Lynchburg, has been among the most hotly contested social issues in this year’s General Assembly. McDonnell signed the bill into law on Wednesday. Because the measure was amended multiple times, it first had to endure two votes from each house of the General Assembly this session.

After signing the legislation, McDonnell issued a statement that acknowledged both sides of the mandatory-ultrasound debate, and said he saw it as a necessary measure.

“As difficult as an abortion decision is, the information provided by ultrasounds, along with other information given by the doctor pursuant to current law and prevailing medical practice, can help the mother make a fully informed decision,” McDonnell said. 

The Virginia Society for Human Life expressed its gratitude for the bill’s passage.

“In spite of an aggressive and deliberately deceitful public campaign waged by pro-abortion forces against passage of this bill, the members of the Virginia General Assembly did the right thing by passing this reasonable bill,” said the society said Wednesday in a press release.

The original wording of Byron’s bill would have mandated the use of a transvaginal probing procedure, but the bill was amended at McDonnell’s request to require only a transabdominal ultrasound.

Many people in opposition to the measure pulled out the stops this past Saturday in the most aggressive display of dissatisfaction of the bill. About 1,000 protesters stationed themselves on the steps of the Capitol in a final attempt to stop McDonnell from signing the mandatory ultrasound bill. Many protesters ignored police officers who commanded them to leave. About 30 people were arrested.

Democratic legislators were quick to voice their distaste for the governor’s signing of the bill. Delegate Kaye Kory, D-Fairfax, criticized McDonnell, saying that his views on invasive government procedures did not line up.

“Gov. McDonnell believes that federal health care reform is ‘big government’ and that airport pat-downs are too invasive,” Kory said. “I can’t think of a single bill passed this session that is more intrusive and contains more government meddling into private, personal decisions than a requirement to get an unnecessary medical procedure solely to satisfy a rigid social agenda.”

Capital News Service is an entity of Virginia Commonwealth University.