Tell Your Delegate: Don’t Force Virginians to Pay for Abortions

Last week I told you about how several radical abortion bills were defeated that would have increased the number and profitability of abortions in Virginia. Legislators narrowly voted to uphold common-sense health and safety regulations on abortion facilities, which protect the lives of women and unborn children. The battle over unborn life continues, but now it’s the pro-life legislators leading the charge.

At The Family Foundation’s request, Delegate Kathy Byron (R-Campbell) introduced HJ 715 which ensures that Virginia, like several other states have done, guarantees in our state Constitution that tax dollars won’t fund abortions. The proposed amendment states:

“No taxes or other revenues of the Commonwealth may be used to pay for abortions, provided that nothing herein shall prevent the use of such funds to preserve the life of the mother.”

Please contact your Delegate now and urge them to vote YES on HJ 715!

While our culture is deeply divided over the practice of abortion itself, most people agree that those who oppose abortion should not be compelled to pay for it through their tax dollars. In fact, The Family Foundation initiated a Mason-Dixon Poll in December asking registered Virginia voters: “Do you support or oppose taxpayer funding of abortion?” The result was encouraging: 56% of Virginians OPPOSE taxpayer funding of abortion, and only 34% say they support it. (with 10% undecided)

The right to life is the most basic human right guaranteed by our Constitution. As long as unborn persons cease to receive protection for their right to life, the least we can do is guarantee that Virginia citizens do not have to pay for the denial of that right. Because of the profound implications to the rights to life and religious liberty, the Constitution is the most appropriate place for this guarantee.

Constitutional Amendments limiting the use of public funds are not new to Virginia. In 2000, Virginians approved an Amendment restricting the use of Lottery funds to education. If we can approve a constitutional amendment that places limits on how Lottery funds are used, then we can certainly approve an amendment to prevent our tax dollars from paying for abortions!

Every year the General Assembly fights over this issue of using public dollars to fund abortions in the state budget. Since the state budget effectively overrides the state Code, elevating it to the Constitution is the only way to ensure that it is not constantly treated as a “political football” every year.

ACTION: Please contact your Delegate and urge them to vote YES on HJ 715 so you don’t have to fund the taking of innocent life.