Virginia voters on Tuesday approved Amendment 1, writing a "fundamental right to reproductive freedom" into the state constitution. The Associated Press called the race at 9:01 p.m. Eastern with the measure ahead 60.7% to 39.3%, with about 63% of ballots counted.
The new Section 11-A of the Bill of Rights, as published by the Virginia Department of Elections, covers "prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management, and fertility care." It says the right cannot be "directly or indirectly, denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means," and it defines a compelling interest as one with "the limited purpose of maintaining or improving the health of an individual seeking care."
The fight is over the third trimester. The amendment says the state "may regulate the provision of abortion care in the third trimester," but that "in no circumstance shall the Commonwealth prohibit an abortion" that "in the professional judgment of a physician is medically indicated to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual," or when a physician judges the fetus not viable.
Current law is stricter on process. Under READ MORE AT SOURCE »
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