GOP walks gingerly around Virginia contraception proposals

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Gov. Bob McDonnell didn’t utter a syllable about abortion legislation in his 50-minute State of the Commonwealth speech Wednesday. House Speaker Bill Howell and other GOP House leaders didn’t raise it in a press conference the next morning outlining a sober, mainstream policy agenda of jobs, schools and roads.

But it’s there, just as sure as Del. Bob Marshall is: more Republican-authored legislation that would restrict abortion and, for some, contraception coverage through employers’ health insurance plans.