Key Votes
SB 484 - Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion - Key Vote
Virginia Key Votes
Stages
Family
Issues
Stage Details
Legislation - Bill Passed (House) (65-32) - Feb. 22, 2012 (Key vote)
Title: Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion
Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to pass a bill that requires a woman to receive an ultrasound at least 24 hours before an abortion.
Highlights:
- Requires a qualified medical professional, who is trained in sonography and who is under the direct supervision of a licensed physician, to perform an abdominal ultrasound on an abortion patient at least 24 hours prior to the abortion (Sec. 1).
- Requires the ultrasound to be performed at least 2 hours prior to the abortion if the patient lives at least 100 miles from the facility where the abortion is to be performed (Sec. 1).
- Requires the physician to verbally offer the abortion patient the opportunity to view the ultrasound image, receive a copy of the ultrasound image, and hear the fetal heartbeat (Sec. 1).
- Requires the physician to offer other ultrasound imaging if the gestational age of the fetus cannot be determined using an abdominal ultrasound, but authorizes the abortion patient to refuse the additional imaging (Sec. 1).
- Specifies that nothing in this bill shall prevent a physician from using any ultrasound imaging that he or she considers medically appropriate (Sec. 1).
- Rep. Kenneth "Kenny" Cooper Alexander is listed on our vote breakdown as not voting; he intended to vote "Nay".
Legislation - Bill Passed (Senate) (21-18) - Feb. 1, 2012 (Key vote)
Title: Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion
Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to pass a bill that requires physicians to offer to perform an ultrasound prior to an abortion.
Highlights:
- Requires a qualified medical professional trained in sonography and who is working under the direct supervision of a licensed physician to offer the following services to a patient seeking an abortion before the abortion is performed (Sec. 1):
- Fetal ultrasound imaging; and
- Auscultation of the fetal heart tone.
- Exempts abortions performed in the case of a medical emergency from the provisions of this bill (Sec. 1).
Legislation - Introduced (Senate) - Jan. 11, 2012
Title: Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion
Sponsors
Co-sponsors
- Richard Hayden 'Dick' Black (VA - R)
- Charles W. 'Bill' Carrico Sr. (VA - R)
- Charles Joseph Colgan Sr. (VA - D)
- Thomas A. 'Tom' Garrett Jr. (VA - R)
- Ryan T. McDougle (VA - R)
- Jeffrey L. 'Jeff' McWaters (VA - R)
- Stephen D. 'Steve' Newman (VA - R)
- Christopher Kilian 'Chris' Peace (VA - R)
- Phillip P. Puckett (VA - D)
- Frank Miller Ruff Jr. (VA - R)
- Ralph K. Smith (VA - R)
- William M. Stanley Jr. (VA - R)
