VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - City Council members will decide whether to include preserving abortion rights in their legislative agenda on Tuesday night.
Each year, city councils across Virginia put together a packet of items they'd like for the General Assembly to pass during their upcoming session.
Councilmembers Aaron Rouse and Guy Tower have proposed Virginia Beach's includes a policy statement saying the city council supports Virginia's current abortion law. Both Rouse and Tower did not seek re-election to the City Council.
Rouse is currently running for Jen Kiggans's state senate seat, which she will vacate following her election to Congress last week.
In Virginia, abortion is legal during the first two trimesters of pregnancy and then can be performed during the third if the life of a mother is at risk following the consultation of three doctors.
The issue is expected to be a flashpoint during the 2023 General Assembly session. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has said he would support a bill that bans abortion after 15 weeks.
State Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) has proposed banning abortion entirely, saying life begins at conception. "The unborn child is a human person from the moment of conception," Chase said in a video last month.
Councilmember Rouse said he was making the proposal following the unanimous recommendation from the Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission to preserve abortion rights. The commission advocates for human rights issues in the city.
On Tuesday, he told News 3 the policy statement remains included in the packet and said removal would require a separate vote. Residents can speak on the issue during the City Council meeting, beginning at 6 p.m.
Rouse has made the issue a part of his senate campaign. "So much is at stake in this upcoming election from a woman's fundamental right to choose, which I will fiercely defend," he said during an announcement speech on Monday morning.
It remains unclear if the policy statement has the votes to be included Tuesday. Mayor Bobby Dyer hasn't responded to a question about his thoughts.
During a city council meeting in October, Councilman Michael Berlucchi said he wanted more information about the implications of the policy statement being included. "This is a very challenging subject for our city, for our community, for our country," he said.
On Tuesday, Berlucchi told News 3 he expects a robust discussion on the topic during the meeting.
