Yes Virginia, we are going backward!

Anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-choice, anti-safe animals, anti-hispanic/latino immigrants....

By golly, I think Virginia is trying to stay white and force all the people of color out!

The General Assembly's full Senate considered and voted on our very own Marriage Amendment Monday.

The good news is, the co-parenting bill was defeated last year and this year the copycatted* Indiana bill was defeated. So single women are still allowed to become pregnant artificially.

Also, out-of-state same-sex couples will be allowed to obtain birth certificates for all children born in Virginia with both parents names on it. Yay! Too bad same-sex couples aren't allowed to adopt children together here.

More good news is that new Governor Tim Kaine issued Executive Order 1 which includes "sexual orientation" under the public employee non-discrimination guidelines.

Whew! Our G.A. has been busy trying to restrict the rights of so many *others*! Now, onto the women!

Before the G.A. session officially began, there were only 3 anti-choice bills to be heard. Now there are 18 to last year's 13.

House Bill 163
House Bill 164
House Bill 173
House Bill 187 Killed in committee
House Bill 189 This was introduced last year on Pro-Choice Lobby Day, where 400 strong showed up to show them we disagreed with it. Needless to say it was defeated by the usual 8-7 vote.
House Bil 237 Killed in committee
House Bill 412This is an accompanyment to HB 187. Seriously. They really want to make sure *single* women can't get pregnant unless via sexual intercourse.
House Bill 868
House Bill 1151 Our very own Domestic Gag Rule
House Bill 1191 I'm kinda on the fence about this one because if Peanut had literally been wrongfully killed while in utero, I would have been pissed when I found out there was no cause for retribution. However, it's being proposed by Delegate Marshall who no doubt means to outlaw abortion.
House Bill 1199
House Bill 1232 This is something I understand as not trying to outlaw abortion, but to get at the abusers out there that beat their wives/girlfriends stomachs with baseball bats to purposely kill the fetus. I don't let Planned Parenthood know that I kind of agree with this idea.
House Bill 1274
House Bill 1308 This one is just stupid as it seeks to ban the use of school facilities for any student group that encourages or promotes sexual activity by unmarried minor students. Are they gonna ban friendships and/or clique's then?
House Bill 1472 Read this one but don't be eating or drinking anything
Senate Bill 315 How exactly is testing fetal tissue going to determine whether or not said prenancy is a result of criminal activity? Why they will test the DNA to see who the father is of course! Yet, that could only result in telling regulators the child, who must be under the age of 15 to even qualify for this test, is a victim of incest but not necessarily rape or sexual abuse.
Senate Bill 580
Senate Bill 584

Tthe 3 pro-choice bills being introduced are: Expanding Medicaid Family Planning for low-income women, free STI testing in public colleges and an encouragement for the FDA to approve Plan B for over-the-counter use. Real tough aren't they?

* Yes, I made up my own word.