CHARLESTON - House Democrats shrugged off a charge of cowardice leveled by one of their own Tuesday and killed a pro-life measure viewed by its chief backer as a potential tool in combating sexual criminals preying on underage girls.
For the fourth time in this session, the Democrat-run House of Delegates shot down a floor motion to discharge a committee refusing to run a specific bill.
In an emotional speech, Delegate Tom Louisos, D-Fayette, led the charge in a failed bid to get the parental notification bill out, ultimately losing on a 37-62 vote.
Only five fellow Democrats voted with Louisos, a conservative businessman in Oak Hill.
"The failure to even consider such an important piece of legislation that all West Virginians have a strong feeling for one way or the other is, quite frankly, cowardly," Louisos intoned.
Pulling no punches, Louisos reminded delegates the Senate last week immediately took up and passed the bill when it became obvious the House was "unwilling to consider a lough piece of legislation, simply because it is an election year ..."
"I cannot in good conscience, and without great embarrassment, return home to my constituents and tell them I stood by and did nothing to try and advance this bill to the floor of the House of Delegates fora vote on the merits of the bill," the veteran lawmaker said.
He reminded the House the bill was before the chamber a year ago and leadership promised it would get its full hearing this session.
But while it was offered Feb. 6, he said, the judiciary committee refused to put it on the agenda.
"It is embarrassing as a member of the Democrat majority in this House to sit by and watch the Senate pass such an important piece of" legislation in three days while the public watches in anticipation as to what the Democrats in this House do," Louisos said.
West Virginians for Life has been working on the bill several years, saying it was intended logo after adult males who prey on minor girls, then goad them into abortion mills to cover up their sexual crimes.
The measure would have compelled doctors to delay a scheduled abortion by an underage girl 24 hours while they notify either a parent or guardian.
Louisos blamed the demise of the bill entirely on the Democratic leadership.
"How many times have we seen leadership run bills out of committee that most of us did not want to come out of committee, but if leadership wants it, leadership gets it," he said. Picking up on this line. Delegate Cindy Frich, R-Monongalia, recalled how Gov. Joe Manchin's mine safely package was enacted in a single day - without going through the committee process.
But one lawmaker identifying himself as pro-life, Delegate Brent Boggs, D-Braxton, opposed the motion to discharge, saying Louisos' effort could wind up hurting the anti-abortion cause.
"l'm afraid it's going to be a giant step backward in the movement for pro-life," said Boggs, who had offered a petition earlier with 20,000 signatures asking the bill be enacted.
"It's going to polarize the issue and cause problems now and in the future."
Judiciary Chairman Jon Amores, D-Kanawha, asked the House to reject Louisos' motion to "preserve the committee process."
Agreeing with that, Majority Leader Rick Staton, D-Wyoming, said the leadership must set priorities and control what happens in the House.
"We do not thwart the committee process for any member, for any constituency, for any other body," he said.
"No one shepherds this process but us."
Louisos, however, maintained the process has proved a failure and said other key issues should be put on the floor and voted upon.
"Up or down, that's what we're here for," he said. "Our decisions."
Melissa Adkins, legislative liaison director of the Morgantown-based pro-life group, said her organization would interpret votes against the discharge motion as votes against the measure's content.
"I know that many people are going to try to use the excuse that this was a procedural vote and not a vote on the substance of the bill," Louisos said.
"I trust and I hope that the members of this House are not that naive to convince themselves of such nonsense. A vote on this motion will be a public declaration that satisfying this House leadership is more important than leading a life based upon principles."
Tuesday's vote kept clean the House's record of disallowing key issues from hitting the floor.
Earlier, the House, voting largely on party lines, denied floor showdowns on bills that would amend the Constitution to preserve the "one man, one woman" concept in marriage, eliminate the 5 percent tax on groceries and make the three slots on the Public Service Commission elective rather than appointive.
In two decades of trying to get his bills out of committee, Louisos spoke of constant frustration.
"You could be here 100 years, and if they didn't want it on the agenda, I don't care how good it is, how many people it helps, it will never get there," Louisos said in closing.
"It is wrong. We need to start taking responsibility and just vote."
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