A bill that would have significantly pushed the limits on late-term abortion is drawing significant backlash — so much so that the Virginia State Delegate who sponsored it has apparently deleted her social media account.
The Repeal Act was designed to remove restrictions placed on third trimester abortions. Current law stated that a doctor could only do this if two additional consulting physicians certified that continuing the pregnancy would likely result in the mother’s death, or “substantially or irremediably impair the mental or physical health of the woman.” The Repeal Act would eliminate the requirement of having to consult physicians, and it would remove the requirement that the pregnancy “substantially or irremediably” impair the woman’s health.
Democrat Kathy Tran drew attention after video surfaced of her discussing her bill in the Virginia House of Delegates on Monday. In it, Tran was questioned regarding how late into a pregnancy abortion would be legally permitted under the bill.
“How late in the third trimester could a physician perform an abortion if he indicated it would impair the mental health of the woman?” asked subcommittee chair Del. Todd Gilbert (R).
“Through the third trimester,” Tran stated. “The third trimester goes all the way up to 40 weeks.”
Gilbert pressed Tran on this, proposing an extreme situation.
“Where it’s obvious a woman is about to give birth, that she has physical signs that she is about to give birth. Would that still be a point at which she could request an abortion if she were so certified?”
“She’s dilating,” Gilbert added, when Tran did not respond.
After saying that the decision would be up to a doctor, Tran ultimately said, “My bill would allow that, yes.”
The Virignia House Delegates supported the bill, stating, “A woman’s medical decisions should be between her and her doctor – and she shouldn’t be subjected to medically unnecessary procedures imposed by the state.”
The bill failed, according to the Virginia GOP, but that hasn’t kept conservatives from blasting Tran for the bill (although she was not the only Democrat to support it).
The Republican Caucus of the House of Delegates called the bill and its defense “heartbreaking.”
The video has gone viral with media reports and comments from conservative political figures.
First New York, and now a proposed Virginia bill that would legalize abortion up to the moment of birth…
This is a sad commentary on the culture of death that continues to creep insidiously into the laws of our county…
https://t.co/jGeK3zSPxa— Governor Matt Bevin (@GovMattBevin) January 30, 2019
Meanwhile, as of Wednesday afternoon, Tran’s Twitter profile appears to have been deleted.
Law&Crime reached out to Tran regarding the bill and her recorded statements, but she has not responded.
[Image via Facebook screengrab]
