As we come to the end of the year, so-called “lame duck” sessions of state legislatures mull about and make plans to vacation. In Virginia, Democrats retain a 21-19 majority in the state Senate until the new year, when Republicans will take over control of the House of Delegates. Some people would like those Democrats to do their job and pass a law or two while they still have the majority—maybe just one law that might protect some of the basic rights that are threatened by the conservative minority rule taking advantage of our country’s lack of constitutional policy. But it seems that the vacationing part of December is of more interest to state legislators in the Democratic Party.
Reproductive rights advocates have been calling on the Old Dominion legislators to pass a law that would protect the right to choose whether or not one wants to have an abortion. According to TheNew York Times, the biggest hurdle is that some Democratic lawmakers already bought plane tickets to go travel and stuff. State Senate majority leader Richard L. Saslaw is on his way to Hawaii but told an interviewer while on a layover in California that there’s nothing to be done as he and other state legislators are “not going to be able to get back; flights are booked this time of year.” But don’t worry: Saslaw explained that he and other Democrats “discussed it,” and felt that “There are too many people out of town.”