
Breaking: Sen. Jennifer McClellan’s SB733 just passed the Virginia State Senate after a long, emtional debate and a dramatic, 20-20 vote, which was broken when Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax voted yes. See below for video, tweets, etc. The bill:

“Eliminates the procedures and processes, including the performance of an ultrasound, the provision of specified information, and the offer to review certain printed materials, required under existing law to effect a pregnant person’s informed written consent prior to the performance of an abortion; however, the bill retains the requirement that a physician obtain a pregnant person’s informed written consent prior to performing any abortion. The bill expands who can perform first trimester abortions to any person licensed by the Board of Medicine as a physician’s assistant and acting within such person’s scope of practice or any person jointly licensed by the Board of Medicine and Nursing as a nurse practitioner acting within the nurse practitioner’s such person’s scope of practice. The bill removes a provision classifying facilities that perform five or more first trimester abortions per month as hospitals for the purpose of complying with regulations establishing minimum standards for hospitals.”

As always, elections have consequences, in this case for Virginia women’s reproductive health and freedom.