After some justices of the U.S. Supreme Court suggested they should reconsider precedent protecting access to contraceptives, Virginia Democrats passed a law that would protect such access. But the governor has yet to sign it, and advocates want him to act. Brad Kutner has more from Richmond.
After U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas suggested the right to access contraception had no basis in the U.S. Constitution, advocates and lawmakers worked fast in Virginia.
“No one seeking condoms, the pill or IUDs should have the government interfering with this very private decision,” said Richmond city Delegates Rae Cousins.
Cousins was joined by members of Red Wine and Blue, a group of women working together to defeat extremism, in asking Governor Glenn Youngkin to sign a bill that would ensure contraceptive access if the high court ever reversed their earlier ruling.
Penny Blue, storyteller and Virginia Program Director of Red, Wine and Blue, said she grew up in family of 10 children in Franklin County, Va.
"My mother loved the family she was able to build," Blue said. "But she cherished the decision making and control her daughters and granddaughters had."
"Now we're trying to go back in time," she said.
Red Wine and Blue collected over 37,000 signatures from Virginians to show how much support the issue has. But the governor’s amendment to another bill dealing with the ability of health insurers to deny contraception coverage may telegraph his disinterest in the matter. Senator Gazala Hashmi, who authored the senate version of the contraception protection bill, had a warning for Youngkin if he did veto the effort.
“I would like a full and clear explanation from the Governor as to why he would stand in opposition to a simple and straightforward right to contraception," Hashmi said. "But if he does go down that path, we will absolutely bring this bill back next year.”
Youngkin has until Monday to act on the bill.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
