Short of the topic of Sunday hunting, nothing seems to have drawn the attention of people (mostly women) more, in a very short period of time,than the ultrasound bill.  I wanted to provide a little history of how we got to where we are.  When the House version was heard last week, I had received very few emails on either side of the issue and I voted for the bill.  The House bill would require a woman who was going to have an abortion to receive an ultrasound to determine the gestational age of the fetus prior to the abortion.  If the fetus age could not be determined by the abdominal ultrasound, then the mother would have to undergo a trans-vaginal (t-v) ultrasound.  Considering the nature of the procedure that she was there to have in the first place, to me this didn't seem to be unreasonable.  In fact, according to several doctors that I spoke with, it is standard procedure anyway prior to the abortion.   The House bill passed.  

Then, over the weekend, national news picked up the story.  By Monday morning, we had received tons of email and phone calls on the issue.  The Senate version of the same thing came to us this week and, after receiving so much feedback, I was prepared to vote against the Senate Bill offered by Jill Vogel.  The heart of the issue seemed to be the t-v ultrasound and, while it may be "standard operating procedure", I agreed that Government has no place in requiring something so invasive, especially in the case of a rape or incest where the mother is already traumatized enough!  Then, Governor McDonnell suggested that the bill be amended to require only an abdominal ultrasound and OFFER to the mother a t-v ultrasound if the age of the fetus could not be determined.  The mother could refuse the t-v ultrasound if she wished.  So, with the potential requirement of a t-v ultrasound off the table, I felt that voting for an abdominal ultrasound was justified to insure the safety of the mother.  While most everyone in our area has access to a safe doctor, there are some areas of the state where that is not the case, especially in urban areas.  According to the doctors I've spoken with, including OB-GYN doctors, requiring the doctor to determine the age of the fetus IS important for the safety of the mother to determine the type of abortion procedure to use.

This issue really has nothing to do with whether or not a woman can have an abortion but rather insure her safety when doing so.  I believe in life.  Abortions are protected by the Constitution, according to the Supreme Court.  As a member of the House of Delegates, I do not have the authority to challenge or change this right.   I will vote against bills which restrict birth control and assisted contraception, and I will continue to vote for bills that promote the safety and health of women.

It has been rewarding to see our Democracy at work and the involvement of so many people.  Few issues garner more interest than women's rights, and rightfully so.

On another somewhat controversial issue now in the news — Sunday hunting — a committee voted last week to allow hunting on Sunday on private land.

According to Sen. Frank Ruff Jr., this piece of legislation is being pushed by those who live in urban areas who want to be able to travel to rural communities and hunt all weekend.

The senator joins Del. James Edmunds and other legislators from rural regions in opposing the bill.

The opposition falls along three concerns.

The first — religious reasons.

The second — non-hunters should have one weekend day to enjoy the outdoors in the fall.

The third — landowners’ concerns about out-of-towners who do not know where one farm ends and another begins and will come onto their property.

According to our senator from Clarksville, the first two reasons are self-explanatory.

The third, however, is the one issue that will in the long run do major damage to hunting in Virginia, the senator believes.

Landowners who do not want hunters on their property on Sunday will not post their property on Saturday night and then remove the signs on Monday morning. They will more likely simply not allow hunters.  Over time, hunters will have fewer and fewer places in which they will be permitted to hunt.

This week the bill will go to the full Senate, and Sen. Ruff promises to try his best to stop it there.

To let the senator know how you feel about Sunday hunting and other issues of concern, email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , call 804-698-7515, or write him at P.O. Box 396, Richmond, VA 23218.

The full article can be found at the link below.

http://www.gazettevirginian.com/index.php/opinion/paula-i-bryant/4822-this-n-that

Below are links to articles related to the Uranium issue in Southside Virginia.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/virginia-politics/post/new-coalition-urges-a-delay-in-uranium-mining-in-virginia/2012/01/18/gIQA5x6Q8P_blog.html

http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/2012/jan/18/business-leaders-legislators-worry-about-uranium-m-ar-1622177/