Virginia Is Ground Zero For Abortion Debate | News

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA) -- Two pieces of legislation now winding their way through the Virginia legislature are getting an awful lot of attention these days.

Not surprisingly, both bills deal with abortion.  The first bill, the so-called "personhood bill," would, in effect, outlaw abortion by declaring that a person's rights begin at the moment of conception.  The second bill would require that a woman have an invasive ultrasound before having an abortion.

Opponents of the two bills, both of which have now passed the Virginia House of Delegates, say, if enacted, the bills would be a major step back for women's reproductive rights.  

In a statement, Delegate Charniele Herring, chairperson of the Reproductive Health Caucus said, "HB 1 the personhood bill and HB 462 the trans-vaginal ultrasound bill represent an attack on women the likes of which we have never seen in this modern era."

But supporters of the two bills, including Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, say the bills represent a major step forward for the rights of the unborn.

"We believe that the passage of legislation that gives information to women is very helpful, and we support it," Tobias said.