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When he was representing Fairfax in the House, Durrette was the chief patron of House Bill 972 in the 1974 General Assembly session. The measure was supported by a bipartisn array of co-patrons which included four other Republicans, four Democrats and three independents.
The measure authorized abortion on demand during the first trimester of pregnancy, spelled out the conditions under which it could be performed during the second trimester and restricted its use in the third to cases in which the life or health of the mother was in danger.
The lengthy bill also established a number of rules and restrictions related to the abortion procedure.
In recent years, however, Durrette has adopted an increasingly strong anti-abortion position. Just how strong that position has become was revealed with stunning clarity when he responded to this question put to him by one of the forum panelists.
Question: “For Mr. Durrette. You and your opponent have expressed almost polar positions on the issue of abortion. If a loved one were raped, was the victim of incest, or there was evidence of gross fetal deformity, are you prepared to insist that she carry the pregnancy to term?”
Durrette: . . Now, I have six children. I have four daughters. The intense personal tragedy that would accompany the kind of episode that you have described is something that is almost too difficult to contemplate, and yet I know we have to confront it. That doesn’t alter the fact that for me, in my deepest personal convictions, that child conceived is a human being. That child, regardless of my views, or regardless of the circumstances, ha^ the same right to live that you and I do. I cannot deviate from that standard.”
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