daily va legislature watchdogging

The Well Time Period is doing my VA Legislature homework for me this session. I love how the internet just drops these little things in my lap these days.

The latest? A bill making it a felony to give a minor birth control if you think the sex they're using it for is a statutory violation.

But. We have duty-to-report laws in place already for doctors and such who encounter kids having sex with much older people. The birth control prohibition seems to counter the intent of those laws - to protect the freaking kid, including protecting them from an unwanted pregnancy and the eeevils of teen parenting and abortion the Republican delegates are so gosh-darned worried about. What is with that?

If you'd like to know, why not call or write District 13 Delegate Robert Marshall? He did write the thing, after all, and I'd like to know why. Bonus points if you're in his district! Much as you may like to, try not to title your email "HB 1807: are you stupid or what?".

I get the feeling the VA Legislature - or at least its conservative gay marriage and reproductive rights quashing majority - is going to rue the day Del. Cosgrove blamed the blogging community for his sloppy bill-writing.

By the way, Marshall? Is also on board with the whole homophobic Marriage Amendment thing. So feel free to mention that when you write him, too!

[Cross-posted to watchdog_va, which ya'll Virginians and concerned friends should join, even if it's not done yet.]

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Following on the recent spate of "Egads! Virginia is the devil!" legislative news, missmeridian has started a useful community for watchdogging the state's political maneuvers: watchdog_va.

Y'all liberal Virginians should join. Who knows what will happen next? Oh, wait - you will... if you're paying attention.