Wed. Dec 25th, 2024

Gov. Glenn Youngkin

Gov. Glenn Youngkin presents his proposed amendments to the state’s biennial budget before a joint meeting of the Virginia General Assembly’s money committees in Richmond on Wednesday. (Charlie Paullin/Virginia Mercury)

For the third consecutive year, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed budget includes language seeking to eliminate state-funded abortions for severe fetal anomalies. 

Virginia law currently allows state insurance to cover abortions if a physician certifies that a fetus would be born with a “gross and totally incapacitating physical deformity or with a gross and totally incapacitating mental deficiency.” Diagnoses like anencephaly, where a fetus’ skull and brain fail to fully develop, fall under this category.

Youngkin’s proposed budget amendments strike language permitting state coverage for such procedures. The bill reads that “no expenditures from general or non-general fund sources may be made out of any appropriation by the General Assembly for providing abortion services, except otherwise as required by federal law or state statute,” with the state-funded exception removed.

The amendment has failed in past budget negotiations as the legislature was split between Democratic and Republican control. With Democrats now holding a majority in both chambers, the proposal faces even steeper opposition. 

Despite this, Youngkin has continued to reintroduce the measure, aiming to reduce public funding spent on these abortions. Over the past four years, 121 state-funded abortions for severe fetal anomalies have been performed, according to the Virginia Department of Health. In 2020, two procedures cost the state about $5,000, while in 2024, 36 procedures cost approximately $61,000.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia Director Jamie Lockhart called Youngkin’s budget language “discriminatory” and “cruel.” 

“People facing complex and heartbreaking situations, such as a severe fetal diagnosis, deserve compassion, support, and access to necessary abortion care — not stigma and funding barriers that put this care out of reach,” Lockhart said in a statement. 

Lockhart emphasized that the proposal would disproportionately affect low-income Virginians who rely on state coverage to navigate and and afford their pregnancies. 

With many fetal anomalies not diagnosed until around or after 15 weeks, she added that the policy would target families already grieving over the devastating realities of a wanted pregnancy gone awry. 

Meanwhile, Youngkin’s administration defended the proposal as part of his broader budget focus on maternal health. 

“Governor Youngkin announced significant new maternal health initiatives this week that will continue to promote a culture of life in the commonwealth, including not forcing Virginia taxpayers to subsidize abortions except where it is required by federal law,” spokesperson Christian Martinez said. 

Youngkin has proposed over $4 million in investments for pilot programs and efforts to expand the maternal healthcare workforces. Similarly, Democratic lawmakers have introduced  a “momnibus” package of legislative and budget proposals aimed at improving maternal  health outcomes and providing support for parents-to-be.

Despite potential agreement on maternal health initiatives, Youngkin’s abortion proposal faces stiff resistance. Democrats are also advancing a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights in Virginia’s Constitution. The amendment would need to pass in 2025 and 2026 legislative sessions before being placed on a statewide ballot for voter approval.

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