Right-to-contraception bills highlight key reproductive health care debate in this year's elections
Contraception access is an issue resonating loudly within Virginia’s public and political spheres this year and last week, it manifested through state lawmakers contrasting Virginia’s twice-failed attempt to protect access to birth control medications against a similar measure that recently sailed through neighboring Tennessee’s legislature.
For the second year in a row, Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a right-to-contraception bill carried by Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News, who took to social media over the weekend to highlight how, unlike in the commonwealth, Tennessee lawmakers were able to come together and pass a bipartisan bill on the issue.
“When I mentioned Tennessee was able to get something done, it wasn’t to say Virginia should become Tennessee,” Price said in a call with The Mercury Monday. “It was the fact that even Tennessee Republicans were willing to act on contraception.”
Del. Michael Webert, R-Faquier, who is among leadership in the House Republican Caucus and who voted against Price’s bill, replied directly to Price online, posting that he’d be “happy to work on a detailed version of the Tennessee bill if you’re game.”
https://virginiamercury.com/2025/05/06/right-to-contraception-bills-highlight-key-reproductive-health-care-debate-in-this-years-elections/