Last year, the governor's budget amendment proposal included funding to carry out a ban on some abortions. Now advocates for reproductive freedom say they are pleased the current budget proposal out this week does not include money to enforce an abortion ban.
"We are really glad to see that the governor has not recommitted to banning abortion in his budget," says Rae Ann Pickett at Planned Parenthood. "However we know that anti-choice and anti-abortion politicians will stop at nothing."
Advocates are worried that the current budget proposal removes funding for services to some people with low incomes who receive a fetal diagnosis that is fatal.
Tarina Keene at Repro Rising says she's concerned that would restrict access to services that are currently available.
"It would take funding away and would leave pregnant people and their families without any funding or help to make a decision that they feel is best for themselves and their families. It's particularly cruel, this type of defunding," Keene says.
Advocates for reproductive freedom say they'll be closely watching the budget to make sure that access to services is not denied for lack of funding.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
