Contraceptive Protection Push Sees Virginia Bill as Key Test

Democrats and reproductive health advocates are closely watching for the Virginia governor’s action on a bill to establish a right to contraception amid concerns that birth control will be a target of the anti-abortion movement’s effort to build support for fetal personhood.

The Virginia legislation (HB 609, SB 237), which passed the Democratic-led legislature last month with some bipartisan support, would explicitly spell out that residents have a right to “obtain” and “engage” in contraception, including oral contraceptives, emergency contraceptives like Plan B, and intrauterine devices, or IUDs. Virginia would join the 14 states that currently protect ...