Image Credit: National Right to Life

Some good news came last week when it was reported that the latest version of the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act has passed the state legislature with an overwhelming bi-partisan majority. The vote was 87-12 to be exact.

The bill was passed by the entire legislature last year only to be vetoed by our “pro-life” governor. Gov. Tomblin vetoed the bill saying his legal team believed it was unconstitutional. However, he did not get such information from Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and ignored the fact that nearly a dozen other states have similar laws on the books that have withstood judicial scrutiny.

This year, however, supporters of the bill believe that they have enough votes to override a veto from the governor. It was reported:

“The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, H.B. 2568, was introduced in the West Virginia House of Delegates last week by Kelli Sobonya. Co-sponsors of the bill include Lynne Arvon, Saira Blair, Anna Border, Jeff Eldridge, Paul Espinosa, Kayla Kessinger, Ricky Moye, Ruth Rowan, Amy Summers, and Terry Waxman.”

The  new Republican controlled house is making good on many campaign promises to social conservatives that want to see life in West Virginia defended. Ours is one of just nine states in the U.S. with not one single abortion law. In other words, a woman can abort a child up to the moment of birth for any reason. That is simply not good enough. The largest abortion clinic in the state, located in Charleston, is performing an average of 3 abortions per day – all day every day – and has not been inspected once since it opened in 1976. That is a problem.

My hat is off to the elected officials representing the values of a majority of West Virginians by passing this legislation. My hope and prayer is that it will next pass the full legislature and be signed by Gov. Tomblin.