'Personhood' Bill to Outlaw Abortion Introduced in Virginia House of Delegates
Conservative Virginia Legislator Bob Marshall filed a "personhood" bill Monday, which, like the "Personhood Amendment" turned down by voters in Mississippi, states that human life begins at fertilization.
This is one of the bills being pre-filed for the upcoming General Assembly session scheduled for Jan. 2012. The bill would protect the rights of "unborn children."
This bill reflects the "Personhood Amendment" recently turned down by voters in Mississippi. Such a bill could potentially go on to overturn Roe. V. Wade, effectively outlawing abortion in the U.S.
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Pro-choice supporters in both Mississippi and Virginia argue that the passage of such a bill could subsequently outlaw some forms of birth control that attack a fertilized egg, such as the morning after pill.
A change in law would also conflict with in-vitro fertilization. Critics argue that pregnancy at conception means physicians would be unwilling to perform in-vitro fertilization for fear of malpractice charges, should the embryo not survive.
Marshall, a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates, has a history of holding true to his socially conservative beliefs, especially against abortion, according to The Associated Press. The bill's proposal could be a result of a recent confidence boost for Republicans, who currently hold a large amount of political sway in Virginia.
Pro-life supporters continue to push the argument of morals over technology.
"If doctors are honest about when they know life begins, it would eventually have to come to light that the 'Personhood Amendment' makes sense," Ann Scheidler, Vice President of the Pro-Life Action League, previously told The Christian Post.
Many predict this is just the beginning of a powerful movement to outlaw abortion in America.
"Expect one thousand Amendment 26's in the future," wrote The Washington Post in a Nov. 9 article that described the Mississippi initiative and others like it a "win-win for social conservatives" because regardless of proposed legislation's outcome, it shows a growing number of anti-abortion bills being pushed into the legal arena.
