RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Senate reconvenes Monday with expectations running high that it will finally pass a version of the state budget.
The sticking point will be an amendment to be offered by Senate Democrats that would require insurance companies to pay for pre-abortion ultrasounds that will be mandatory under a Republican-backed law passed this year.
The state would also pay the ultrasound costs for uninsured women.
The state payments would apply only to clinics that perform five abortions or fewer per year, or state-supported university hospitals. That's a concession to opposition by Republicans to providing state funding to Planned Parenthood.
In a 40-member Senate, the 20 united Democrats have twice denied the 20 Republicans the majority vote necessary to pass a budget necessary to fund state government for two years.
