The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health Celebrates Gov. McAuliffe Veto of HB 2264

Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has vetoed HB 2264, a dangerous bill that aimed to prohibit the Virginia Department of Health from providing funds or grants to facilities that provide abortions. HB 2264 was a direct attack against Planned Parenthood and similar health centers that offer the full-range of reproductive healthcare services. Defunding Planned Parenthood health centers in Virginia would have a devastating impact on the Latinx community. In 2014 alone, 23 percent of Planned Parenthood patients in the U.S. were Latino/a — over half a million people.

Margie Del Castillo, Associate Director of Community Mobilization for the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH), issued the following statement:

“We applaud Governor McAuliffe’s veto today marking a victory for Latinxs in Virginia who rely on health centers like Planned Parenthood–which play a vital role in ensuring quality reproductive healthcare for low-income women and women of color. Any attacks on Planned Parenthood health centers and other abortion care providers threaten to unravel the reproductive health safety net that our Latinx community relies on for trusted care. Currently, Virginia does not have the capacity to serve the large number of individuals in need of low-cost reproductive healthcare without providers such as Planned Parenthood. This bill would have prohibited funds to health care providers who offer abortion and placed family planning clinics as the lowest priority for public funds.  In short, the bill would have made it difficult for low-income Virginians to obtain contraception and increase the number of unintended pregnancies.  For many Latinxs, regardless of immigration status, Planned Parenthood health centers are the only healthcare providers they will see. Today’s victory reaffirms our belief that all people regardless of where they live, how much they earn or their immigration status, have a right to affordable, quality healthcare.”

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The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health is the only national reproductive justice organization dedicated to building Latina power to advance health, dignity, and justice for 28 million Latinas, their families, and communities in the United States through leadership development, community mobilization, policy advocacy, and strategic communications.