A Virginia delegate named Kathy Tran has introduced a bill which, if approved, would repeal all of Virginia’s restrictions on abortion and eliminate any cut off for abortion into the third trimester. Here’s a description of Tran’s bill from the Republican Standard:

The Repeal Act, introduced as HB2491 by Delegate Kathy Tran (D-Springfield), would repeal restrictions on third trimester abortions, allow abortionists to self-certify the necessity of the procedures, eliminate informed consent requirements, repeal health and safety standards for abortion clinics, allow late term abortions to be performed in outpatient clinics, waive ultrasound requirements, and eliminate the 24 hour waiting period for abortions in Virginia, among other provisions. “I introduced House bill 2491, the repeal law, to lift medically unnecessary and unduly burdensome requirements for women to access abortions in the Commonwealth,” said Tran. “This bill removes hospital requirements on clinics and providers, laws that mandate informed consent, a combination of mandatory ultrasounds, biased literature, and the 24 hour waiting period, and additional doctor requirements for late term abortions,” Tran continued, describing the provisions of the bill.

Under questioning by Republican Delegate Todd Gilbert, Tran revealed that her bill would not limit abortion even after the point of viability, where the child could survive on his or her own. In fact, she said her bill would potentially allow a woman to seek an abortion as she was in the process of giving birth. Here’s a portion of the exchange which you can watch below:

Tran: So, the suggestion that we’ve made in the bill is to say it’s in the 3rd trimester, you know, with the certification of the physician. Gilbert: So how late in the 3rd trimester would you be able to do that? Tran: You know it’s very unfortunate that our physician witnesses were not able to attend today to speak specifically… Gilbert: No I’m talking about your bill. How late in the 3rd trimester could a physician perform an abortion if he indicated it would impair the mental health of the woman. Tran: Or physical health. Gilbert: Okay, I’m talking about the mental health. Tran: Through the 3rd trimester. The 3rd trimester goes all the way up to 40 weeks. Gilbert: Okay, but to the end of the 3rd trimester. Tran: Yup, I don’t think we have a limit in the bill. Gilbert: So, um, where it’s obvious that a woman is about to give birth. She has physical signs that she is about to give birth. Would that still be a point at which she could request an abortion if she was so-certified…she’s dilating. Tran: Mr. Chairman, that would be a, you know, a decision that the doctor, the physician and the woman would make at that point. Gilbert: I understand that. I’m asking if your bill allows that. Tran: My bill would allow that, yes.

Gilbert went on to press Tran about the requirements for a physician to determine that a woman’s mental health dictated that a woman could receive an abortion for a viable baby in the 3rd trimester. Tran admitted that the physician would not need any special training to make this determination. In effect, it’s a catch-all that means any woman demanding a viable baby be aborted rather than born can legally do so.

Gilbert also asked Tran to explain what conditions might lead to the necessity of an abortion at the end of the 3rd trimester to protect the life of the mother. Tran said she didn’t know and asked a NARAL representative to answer on her behalf. But the NARAL lawyer didn’t know either and said the physicians who hadn’t shown up that day would be the ones who might know.

Americans support abortion rights in general but that support drops off dramatically when it comes to viable babies in the 3rd trimester. This should be a bill that most Virginians would oppose once they know what it would allow. But obviously, this is the direction the left is pushing, not just in Virginia but in New York and other states as well. Some of this is being driven by fear Roe v. Wade could be overturned. That fear will spike if President Trump winds up appointing another Supreme Court judge.