Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 8, 1993 TAG: 9302080084
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
ABORTION COUNSELING BILL KILLED
Lawmakers for and against abortion restrictions combined forces Sunday to defeat a so-called "counterfeit bill" that would have required girls under 15 to receive counseling before ending a pregnancy.The bill by House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, would have required girls to notify a parent, legal guardian or a counselor before receiving an abortion.
Anti-abortion forces denounced the bill as a "sham," noting that the vast majority of girls who have abortions are over 15 and that those young enough to be covered by the bill still could end a pregnancy simply by notifying a nurse at the abortion clinic.
Abortion-rights advocates also denounced the legislation, saying they oppose any restrictions on abortion rights.
In the end, the House Courts of Justice killed the bill by a 19-1 vote with only Cranwell supporting it.
Cranwell was angered by suggestions of political motivation. All 100 delegates face the voters this fall and polls show a majority of Virginians favor parental notification laws. Anti-abortion leaders charged that the bill was a ploy to allow Democrats - many of whom have opposed notification - to cast a meaningless vote in favor of the popular idea.
Cranwell said he was trying to strike a compromise in the long-running fight between abortion-rights and anti-abortion advocates.
"This bill is designed to focus on the young woman who may be alone because she has a dysfunctional family and has to make a decision affecting her life," he said. "I, for one, would like to see the minor have an opportunity to consult somebody."
Cranwell said he was willing to accept compromises to toughen the bill. But when Republicans sought to amend it into a strict parental notice requirement for girls under 16, Cranwell persuaded committee chairman James Almand, D-Arlington, to block the changes on procedural grounds.
Last year, Gov. Douglas Wilder vetoed notification legislation for girls under 16. Anti-abortion forces did not push a similar bill this winter, saying they will wait for a new governor to take office next year.
In action on other abortion bills Sunday:
The courts committee killed a bill that would have required a 24-hour waiting period for any abortion.
The committee let die for lack of action a bill to impose mandatory penalties on protestors who block access to abortion clinics.
The full House gave preliminary approval to a "truth-in-advertising" bill aimed at abortion and pregnancy counseling and referral services. The bill grows out of complaints that some church-run services advertise "abortion counseling" but try to dissuade all clients from terminating their pregnancies.
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GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1993