Virginia pro-abortion ballot proposal advances 

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CNA Staff, Jan 16, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of recent abortion- and pro-life-related news.

Virginia pro-abortion ballot proposal advances 

Virginia Democrats advanced a proposal to enshrine abortion as a right in the state constitution earlier this week. The amendment would ensure a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” protecting abortion in the first two trimesters as well as in the third trimester with some restrictions. 

Abortions are currently legal in Virginia through the second trimester. Abortions in the second trimester are allowed when the mother’s life is at risk, with the certification of three doctors. The proposed amendment would bring this number down to one doctor. 

The measure passed narrowly in the House of Delegates 51-48. Virginia Republicans criticized the measure, calling it “extreme” and expressing concern that the amendment could supersede a current Virginia law requiring parental consent for abortions for minors. Democrats argued that the government shouldn’t be making decisions about women’s health care. 

If approved again by the state House and Senate next year, the amendment would be on the ballot. The state follows the trend of many states voting on abortion laws following the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Idaho could raise voting threshold for ballot initiatives

Idaho Republicans introduced a bill Wednesday to raise Idaho’s voting threshold for statewide ballot initiatives. The bill would change current Idaho law, which requires 50% of the vote plus one to pass an initiative or referendum. The bill would increase the threshold to 60%, which state Rep. Bruce Skaug, who introduced the bill, argued would fix Idaho’s “broken” system and prevent out-of-state money from having as much sway in the state. In Idaho, residents can place and vote on laws on the ballot without the Idaho Legislature’s involvement.

The measure could affect future abortion amendments, which continued to crop up throughout the United States in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s overturn. In Florida, a pro-abortion constitutional measure failed to pass in the 2024 election, largely due to the high threshold of 60% for passing a constitutional amendment.

OneLife LA event moved to cathedral 

Amid the ongoing wildfire emergency, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ annual Catholic pro-life event OneLife LA is set to be held indoors at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels due to poor air quality and the need for law enforcement elsewhere in the city. The walking portion of the event has been canceled.

Instead, the event, beginning at 1 p.m. local time on Jan. 18, will be held in the cathedral’s plaza, with a speaker and performance program followed by the annual Requiem Mass for the Unborn in the cathedral. The event will also address the impacts of the recent L.A. fires and reflections on the impact of the emergency. The theme for the annual event is “Let Us Stand Up Together in Hope.”  

OneLife LA typically draws thousands to downtown Los Angeles, where it begins with a prayer service followed by a walk to the Los Angeles State Historic Park, where attendees listen to speakers and musical performances. It is held near the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision as a West Coast parallel to the National March for Life in Washington, D.C., which is set to be held Jan. 24.