Post by Blaque on Jan 23, 2007 13:19:32 GMT -5
RICHMOND -- A bill designed to punish mothers for maliciously killing their own unborn children unanimously passed a House of Delegates panel last week.
The bill was crafted largely in response to a high-profile case in Suffolk. Last February, 23-year-old Tammy Skinner shot herself in the stomach to kill her own child. Authorities twice tried to prosecute Skinner, but the current state law against harming a fetus does not apply to expectant mothers. "This is something that should be prosecutable," said Del. S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, who sponsored the bill. "There was a lot of outrage, and rightfully so, because she was set to deliver that day. It's a very, very sad case." Jones crafted the bill so that it does not affect abortions, which are legal in Virginia.
"I did not want to get into the whole issue of the morning-after pill," Jones said.
Abortion-rights advocates helped Jones craft the language of the legislation and did not speak against the bill in committee. They didn't speak in favor of the new law either.
Mira Signer, state director for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said her group wants to scrutinize the bill in more detail, but as a rule they favor more prenatal care, counseling and therapy for expectant mothers. "There's no doubt that the case in Suffolk was a tragedy," Signer said. But "criminalizing doesn't do anything to prevent this kind of case from occurring."
Signer said the group would weigh in as the debate continues if they find anything in the bill unpalatable. Jones' bill passed through the House Court of Justice Committee and now moves on to House Appropriations, where lawmakers will see if the new law would have any financial impact on the state. Jones said prosecutors told him a high price tag would be unlikely.
"It would be very, very, very rare," Jones said.
The bill was crafted largely in response to a high-profile case in Suffolk. Last February, 23-year-old Tammy Skinner shot herself in the stomach to kill her own child. Authorities twice tried to prosecute Skinner, but the current state law against harming a fetus does not apply to expectant mothers. "This is something that should be prosecutable," said Del. S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, who sponsored the bill. "There was a lot of outrage, and rightfully so, because she was set to deliver that day. It's a very, very sad case." Jones crafted the bill so that it does not affect abortions, which are legal in Virginia.
"I did not want to get into the whole issue of the morning-after pill," Jones said.
Abortion-rights advocates helped Jones craft the language of the legislation and did not speak against the bill in committee. They didn't speak in favor of the new law either.
Mira Signer, state director for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said her group wants to scrutinize the bill in more detail, but as a rule they favor more prenatal care, counseling and therapy for expectant mothers. "There's no doubt that the case in Suffolk was a tragedy," Signer said. But "criminalizing doesn't do anything to prevent this kind of case from occurring."
Signer said the group would weigh in as the debate continues if they find anything in the bill unpalatable. Jones' bill passed through the House Court of Justice Committee and now moves on to House Appropriations, where lawmakers will see if the new law would have any financial impact on the state. Jones said prosecutors told him a high price tag would be unlikely.
"It would be very, very, very rare," Jones said.