Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Virginia Legislature Approves Pro-Choice License Plates, But With Disagreement On Use of Fees

In Virginia, both the House of Delegates and the state Senate have passed bills authorizing a license plate with the message: "Trust Women/ Respect Choice." The House version (HB 1108), passed yesterday by a vote of 77-22, however eliminated a provision that would have directed a portion of the fees from the plates to Planned Parenthood. Instead the House bill sends the fees to the Virginia Pregnant Women Support Fund administered by the state Board of Health to support women with unplanned pregnancies. (Hampton Roads Pilot, 2/16). The Senate version, (SB 704), passed yesterday by a vote of 26-8, retains the original language directing fees to Planned Parenthood. The Washington Post reports that an attempt to amend the bill to conform it to the House version was defeated. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.]