by nomatterhowsmall on Tue 16 Feb 2010 05:43 PM EST
WTOP and Lifenews are reporting that today the Virginia state legislature passed a bill to create a pro-choice license plate. The license plate, which was advocated for by NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia and Planned Parenthood, is supposed to be the pro-choice counter to the yellow "Choose Life" license plates.
WTOP reports that the Virginia Senate voted to create the plates specifying that after the first 1,000 plates were sold, $15 from each $25 plate would go to Planned Parenthood.
Bummer, huh?
Actually no. Cue the pro-life majority of legislators in the Virginia State House.
From Lifenews:
"Delegate Todd Gilbert offered an amendment to the bill to change it so all funding would go to the Virginia Pregnant Women Support Fund -- a move that the pro-life Family Forum group describes as a devastating blow to Planned Parenthood.
"The Virginia Pregnant Women Support Fund was created in 2007 to "support women and families who are facing unplanned pregnancy" and is managed by the Virginia Board of Health. The goals are far different from Planned Parenthood's abortion agenda as it provides funding for ultrasound machines, parenting programs, and other support."
In response to his opposition, Gilbert said that the Virginia Pregnant Women Support Fund "was a better fit for the language of the plate."
"Planned Parenthood violates it's own message of trusting women.
"'Delegate Gilbert, citing Planned Parenthood's opposition to pro-woman legislation including informed consent requirements that do exactly that – trust women – stated that plate funds if directed to Planned Parenthood would not be going to an organization in conformity with the plate's message.'"
Gilbert's amendment passed by a vote of 56-43, and the overall vote for the plates passed 77-22. Well, congratulations Virginia!