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A daily compilation of newspaper articles about Virginia politics and government.

VPAP Whipple Report - February 22, 2012

Today's Sponsor: Psychiatric Society of Virginia
Advocating for mental health issues, the advancement of psychiatry, and service to communities.

Compiled by Paul Brockwell, Jr

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

MCDONNELL SHIFTS ABORTION-BILL STAND

By ANITA KUMAR
Washington Post

Gov. Robert F. McDonnell is backing off his unconditional support for a bill requiring women to have an ultrasound before an abortion, focusing new attention on one of the most controversial pieces of legislation in Virginia’s General Assembly this year.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

GOP: DEMOCRATS HOLDING UP SENATE PROGRESS

By MICHAEL SLUSS
Roanoke Times

When Republicans seized control of the evenly divided Virginia Senate last month, Democrats accused their counterparts of making a heavy-handed power grab with the aid of Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling's tie-breaking vote.

VA. SENATE DEMOCRATS TRY TO LEVERAGE BUDGET FOR MORE POWER

By LAURA VOZZELLA
Washington Post

As they threaten to hold up the state budget, Senate Democratic leaders are pushing for a deal to reclaim some of the power that Republicans assumed early this session in the evenly split chamber.

SENATE GOP REJECTS DEMS BID FOR COMMITTEE SHUFFLE

By BOB LEWIS
Associated Press

Chances for a bipartisan accord on a Senate version of the budget by Thursday's deadline grew bleak Tuesday after Senate Republicans dismissed a Democratic proposal to reshuffle Senate committees in exchange for the necessary votes.

VIRGINIA SENATORS RENEW FIGHT OVER EQUALITY

By CHELYEN DAVIS
Free Lance-Star

Senate Democrats, who lost a battle for control of the Senate after last November's elections split the Senate 20-20, are still seeking more equality on Senate committees. But there's disagreement on whether they're holding the Senate budget hostage to get it.

DEMS' LETTER TO NORMENT DOESN'T MENTION BUDGET; NORMENT SAYS THERE IS A LINK

By TODD ALLEN WILSON
Daily Press

Senate Democratic Caucus chair Sen. Donald McEachin said Tuesday that Minority Leader Sen. Norment was disingenuous in linking Democrats complaints over the makeup of committees in the evenly-divided chamber to their threats to hold up the budget over substantial policy issues.

VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY ALTERS PRE-ABORTION ULTRASOUND BILL

By HARRY MINIUM AND JULIAN WALKER
Virginian-Pilot

In the face of widespread public criticism, some General Assembly members say they are working behind the scenes to "soften" a controversial bill that would require women to undergo an ultrasound examination before having an abortion.

HOUSE AGAIN PUTS OFF ULTRASOUND VOTE

By OLYMPIA MEOLA AND WESLEY P. HESTER
Richmond Times-Dispatch

For the second day in a row, the House of Delegates on Tuesday delayed final votes on a number of issues, including a bill to require women to undergo an ultrasound prior to an abortion.

GA TO VOTE ON INVASIVE ULTRASOUND MEASURE

By PRUE SALASKY
Daily Press

The Virginia House of Delegates is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a bill to amend Virginia's current law regarding informed consent for abortions. In addition to the existing prerequisites, the bill would add the requirement that any woman seeking an abortion have an ultrasound 24 hours beforehand — a wait that's reduced to two hours if she lives more than 100 miles away from the health care facility.

SENATE BACKS ADOPTION 'CONSCIENCE CLAUSE'

By JIM NOLAN
Richmond Times-Dispatch

The Virginia Senate on Tuesday approved the House of Delegates' version of a bill that would allow faith-based adoption and foster-care organizations that use state funds to deny services to parents or children who do not share their religious beliefs.

SENATE APPROVES ADOPTION 'CONSCIENCE CLAUSE' BILL

By JULIAN WALKER
Virginian-Pilot

Private child placement agencies are close to gaining legal protection to reject would-be adoptive and foster care parents, including gays, whose lifestyles conflict with their beliefs.

SENATE SENDS 'CONSCIENCE CLAUSE' ADOPTION BILL TO GOVERNOR

By TODD ALLEN WILSON
Daily Press

Religious-based adoption and foster care agencies that receive state funding would be able to deny placing children with gays or lesbians under a measure passed by the Senate Tuesday and sent to the governor.

BILL TO END HPV VACCINE REQUIREMENT ADVANCES

By RAY REED
News & Advance

A bill to end Virginia’s requirement that girls receive a cancer-preventing vaccine — except when their parents object — was approved Tuesday in a Senate subcommittee. Like every other General Assembly vote on Del. Kathy Byron’s human papillomavirus bill, its fate was decided on party lines. The panel’s three Republicans supported it, while two Democrats voted no.

LABOR PACT FOR DULLES METRORAIL OPPOSED

By DAVID SHERFINSKI
Washington Times

A Northern Virginia delegate has inserted language into the House’s proposed budget to effectively negate a proposed incentive for firms bidding on Phase 2 of the Dulles Metrorail project to use a labor agreement that many say favors unions.

HOUSE PANEL APPROVES DRUG TESTING FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS

By TODD ALLEN WILSON
Daily Press

Even though the House of Delegates version of the measure didn't make it to the chamber floor due to costs, The House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee passed a Senate bill that would require drug testing for welfare recipients.