Virginia lawmakers passed several rounds of legislation this week that would prohibit the state from extraditing a woman or abortionist who has violated pro-life laws in another state, as well as prevent the Board of Medicine from investigating out-of-state abortion violations.
SB 716/HB 519 would prohibit the Board of Medicine from taking disciplinary action against an abortionist who violates abortion laws in other states. The bill passed the Senate on February 6 with a vote of 21-18, and the House on Tuesday 54-45.
SB 15/HB 1539 passed the Senate Monday with a vote of 21-19 and the House Tuesday with a vote of 53-45. That legislation prevents the government from assisting in the extradition of an out-of-state resident who may be in violation of another state’s pro-life laws.
READ: Abortion Trafficking: Big Abortion’s predatory luring of teens out-of-state and away from parents
SB 15 was sponsored by Senator Barbara Favola. “It protects an individual who comes to Virginia from a state that has a ban on abortion, and she receives an abortion in Virginia, it would protect her from extradition, and it also protects the doctors and providers that have performed that abortion,” Favola said.
Republican Senator Mark Peake took issue with the fact that the bill would allow a person to simply sign an affidavit saying that they obtained an abortion in Virginia to avoid prosecution. “I just don’t think that an appropriate way for our criminal code or extradition code to have somebody just sign an affidavit and that be enough to create a presumption that has to be overcome by clear and convincing evidence,” Peake told 8News.
The Virginia Society for Human Life previously wrote against the legislation, which it maintains will make the state a “safe haven” for abortion. “Senator Favola and other abortion advocates’ intentions is to make our Commonwealth a safe place for the worst abortion offenders to feel free to set up shop here,” noted the statement. “The result will only protect the abortionists, not women. It does nothing but provide cover for the abortion industry.”
The bills now go to the desk of Governor Glenn Youngkin for approval.
