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Rev. Jane Sigloh at Pro-Choice Lobby Day 1998

"Pro-choice activists from across the state gathered on Wednesday, January 28 at the Capitol to participate in the annual Pro-Choice Lobby Day. After a training session in the morning, they proceeded to the General Assembly Building ...(to) advocate preventive measures which would reduce the need for abortion. They discussed with their legislators the need for comprehensive Family Life Education in Virginia schools ... (and for expanding) Medicaid coverage to include two years of family planning after birth" (Karen Raschke, Press Release, January 28, 1998).

At least 14 people, including Rev. Jane Sigloh (pictured above) traveled from Charlottesville to Richmond to see their respective legislators.

Bills supported by Planned Parenthood included:

• HB1259: Summary: Medicaid; family planning. Adds to the state plan for medical assistance services coverage for a period of 24 months for family planning services for those women who were Medicaid-eligible for prenatal care and delivery at the time of delivery. The 24 months begins with delivery. The bill also contains technical amendments.
  • 02/03/98 (House: Reported from H. W. I. (16-Y 5-N)[Van Yahres - Yea]
    02/03/98 House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
• HB427: Summary: Standards of Quality. Revises the criteria for the Standards for Accreditation (SOA) which are cited in Standard 3 of the Standards of Quality (SOQ) to set forth minimum staffing requirements for public schools. Reading specialists in elementary schools would be optional at the discretion of the local school board. This bill incorporates into the SOQ some of the features of the SOA which drive both local and state funding.
  • 02/17/98 (House: VOTE: PASSAGE (76-Y 23-N)[Harris - Yea, Van Yahres - Yea]
    02/26/98 (Senate: Reported from Education and Health (13-Y 2-N)[Couric -Yes].
  • 03/04/98 Senate: VOTE: PASSAGE R (25-Y 13-N)[Couric - Yes]
• HB478: (Diamonstein) Summary: Family life education. Requires local school boards to implement the Standards of Learning for the family life education program promulgated by the Board of Education or a family life education program consistent with the guidelines developed by the Board of Education. The Standards of Accreditation would also be amended to require individual schools to implement such a program, restoring regulations that were amended in fall 1997. Pursuant to § 22.1-207.2, parents have the right to review the complete family life education curricula, including supplemental materials. These materials are to be kept in the school library or office for review during school hours. School boards must develop summaries of the family life education program to assist parents in understanding the program and to encourage parental guidance and involvement. Board of Education guidelines specify that a community involvement team, comprised of citizen members, educators, administrators, clergy, and medical professionals, must be identified to provide local input in the development and implementation of any family life education initiative. Locally developed programs must provide age-appropriate instruction, using the Standards of Learning objectives as a reference. The Board's approved program and any locally developed program must include an "opt-out" procedure for parents who wish to excuse their children from all or any part of the FLE program.
  • (02/15/98 House: VOTE: PASSAGE (60-Y 39-N)[Van Yahres - Yes; Harris - No]), Van Yahres was a Co-Patron.
  • 03/05/98 Senate: Reported from Ed. & H. with substitute (13-Y 2-N)[Couric - Yes]
• SB205 : Summary:
  Public school programs; guidance counseling, family life education and charter schools. Requires the Board of Education's regulations for accrediting schools to require guidance counselors in elementary schools and family life education programs in every school division. This bill vests sole authority in local school boards to determine the specific contents, methods, materials, and curricula to be used for the programs within their schools. Parents must be notified in writing that a description of the guidance counseling program is available in the school library for review during school office hours before and during the school year (consistent with the family life review requirements in § 22.1-207.2). Procedures for excusing children from components of the programs are established. Opt-out requests must be granted except for academic guidance counseling and career education guidance counseling. Other grade-level-appropriate instruction must be provided to the opted-out students. Parents may reverse opt-out decisions by written notification to the principal. This bill amends Standard 3 of the Standards of Quality to restore requirements in effect prior to October 1997 for family life education and one guidance counselor position in the elementary schools. Further, this bill also establishes a mechanism for developing and operating charter schools. Charter schools are defined as public schools, dedicated to providing elementary or secondary education and authorized by the local school board to operate with flexibility and a waiver of regulations from the Board of Education. Local school boards will make the final decisions as to how many and approval, renewal, and revocation of the charters. However, no more than two may be granted before July 1, 1999. At least one of these schools must be a program for at-risk children. The term of the charter will be no more than three years. Enrollment is open to any child residing in the school division through a lottery process on a space-available basis. Waiting lists must be established if adequate space is not available to accommodate all students who applied. The charter school will managed by a committee of parents, teachers and administrators, as agreed to by the school board. The local school board may authorize a charter school to assume responsibility for budget preparation, contracts for services, and personnel matters as specified in the charter agreement. No rent can be charged for local school division facilities. No tuition can be charged except as provided in the school board's rules and in compliance with state law on this subject. After the local school board determines to grant the charter, the local school board and the charter school will jointly request waivers from the Board. Personnel will be employees of the local school board and employment policies on transfers and probation will apply. The requirements for the charter application are set forth, including evidence that the plan is fiscally sound for the charter school and the school division. The local school board must adopt a resolution stating its intent to receive applications and procedures for reviewing, etc. such applications. Local school boards will determine the apportionment of local funds; however, no more than two percent of the local budget may be allocated. The students will be counted in average daily membership, with the state funding being established in the appropriation act.
  • (02/17/98 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (26-Y 13-N)[Couric - Yes]).
• SB206 : Summary: Family life education. Revises the criteria for the Standards for Accreditation which are set forth in Standard 3 of the Standards of Quality and the statute setting out the requirements for the family life education program. The bill requires local school divisions to develop and implement family life education programs which include instruction, as accurate and appropriate for the age of the student, in family living and community relationships; the value of postponing sexual activity; human sexuality; human reproduction; and the etiology, prevention, and effects of sexually transmitted diseases. The programs are designed to promote parental involvement, foster positive self-concepts, and provide mechanisms for coping with peer pressure and the stresses of modern living, according to the students' developmental stages and abilities.
  • (02/17/98 Senate: VOTE PASSAGE (27-Y 13-N) [Couric - Yes]), Couric was a Co-Patron.
• HB862: (Watts) Summary: Parental notification. Includes within the definition of "authorized person" to whom notice must be given prior to a minor's abortion an aunt or uncle related to the minor by blood who lives in the Commonwealth or within 50 miles of any border of the Commonwealth.
  • 02/17/98 House: No action taken by Courts of Justice.

Bills opposed by Planned Parenthood included:

• SB552 : Summary: Partial birth abortion. Prohibits partial birth abortions. The bill also defines "partial birth abortion" as an abortion in which the person performing the abortion deliberately and intentionally delivers a living fetus or a substantial portion thereof into the vagina for the purpose of performing a procedure the person knows will kill the fetus, performs the procedure, kills the fetus and completes the delivery. The offense is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
  • (02/17/98 Senate: VOTE PASSAGE (33-Y 7-N) [Couric - No]);
  • 02/20/98 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
    02/23/98 House: Assigned to C. J. sub-committee: 1
• HB248: Summary:
  Destroying unborn child. Makes it a Class 4 felony to kill a child during parturition if thechild would have otherwise been born alive. The offense includes partial birth abortions.
  • 01/15/98 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
    01/26/98 House: Assigned to C. J. sub-committee: 1
    02/17/98 House: No action taken by Courts of Justice
    
• HB1154; (McClure) Summary: Partial birth abortion. Prohibits partial birth abortions. The bill defines "partial birth abortion" as an abortion in which the person performing the abortion deliberately and intentionally delivers a living fetus or a substantial portion thereof into the vagina for the purpose of performing a procedure the person knows will kill the fetus, performs the procedure, kills the fetus and completes the delivery. The bill also provides for review by the Board of Medicine of the doctor's actions, results to be available as evidence at trial. The offense is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
  • 02/17/98 (House: VOTE: PASSAGE (78-Y 21-N){Harris - Yea; Van Yahres - Yea])
    02/19/98 Senate: Referred to Committee on Education and Health
• HB1371: (McDonnell) Summary: Informed consent. Requires that certain information regarding the particular pregnancy and abortion procedure be provided at least 24 hours in advance, to comply with the informed written consent mandate. The required information includes a medical explanation of the nature, benefits, alternatives and risks; instruction that consent may be withdrawn at any time; an offer to answer any questions and to provide additional information; a statement of probable gestational age of the fetus at the time the abortion is to be performed, etc. The physician is not required to obtain informed written consent if there is a medical emergency. The penalty for failure to follow these requirements is a $2,500 civil penalty.
  • (02/17/98 House: VOTE: PASSAGE (61-Y 38-N) [Van Yahres - No, Harris - Yes]);
  • 02/19/98 Senate: Referred to Committee on Education and Health
  • 03/05/98 Senate: Failed to report (defeated) in Ed. & Health (6-Y 9-N)[Couric - No].
• HB749: Summary: Licensure of certain health care facilities. Defines "hospital" as including any clinic, which is not a private physician's office, performing 25 or more abortions per year. Any such clinic will be subjected to all of the requirements for outpatient surgical hospitals and the regulations of the Board in the same manner as any other hospital, including any standards, inspections, staffing and laboratory requirements, equipment mandates, or other criteria.
  • (02/03/98 House: Continued to 1999 in H. W. I. (14-Y 7-N [Van Yahres - Yes]).
• SB198 : Summary: Murder. Makes the malicious, intentional killing of a fetus murder if done maliciously, with intent to kill the woman or fetus and the fetus was viable. This does not include abortion and knowledge of the woman's pregnancy or the existence of the fetus is irrelevant. The pregnant woman may not be prosecuted.
  • (02/11/98 Senate: Passed by indefinitely in Courts of Justice (6-Y 5-N 1-A);
• HB969: Summary: Providing health information upon the issuance of a marriage license. Changes the provision of health information by a person empowered to issue a marriage license from a mandatory status to a permissive, upon request, status. This health information is related to such topics as birth control, genetic disorders, and family planning clinics.
  • (02/06/98 House: Failed to report (defeated) in Courts of Justice (11-Y 11-N).

Failing to report means the bill was not reported out of committee to the full body for final voting. Voting yes to report is voting in favor; voting not to report means you want the bill to die asap in committee. A tie vote in committee results in no reporting.

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