Virginia Senate Democrats defeat 20-week abortion ban

By SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate committee has defeated a bill that would have prohibited abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy in most circumstances. The measure from Republican Sen. Amanda Chase failed Thursday on a party-line vote of 6-9. While a similar bill is alive in the House, it has not been docketed for a hearing that legislative procedure would require take place by Friday. Del. Rob Bell is the chairman of the committee that would take up the bill. He says he doesn’t see a path for it to reach passage. Other non-ban abortion-related bills are still pending in the House.