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A Virginia bill that would have declared that life starts at conception was sent back to committee by the commonwealth’s Senate today, most likely putting off any further consideration until the 2013 legislative session, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

In a stunning turn of events, the Virginia Senate has voted 24-14 to scuttle a bill that would have given fertilized eggs the same legal rights as people.

Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax, proposed that House Bill 1, which had passed the Senate Education and Health Committee earlier today on an 8-7 party line vote, be sent back to the committee and carried over to the 2013 legislative session for further discussion and deliberation.

Then Sen. Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City, the Republican leader of the Senate, rose to support the motion, saying that the issues raised by the bill are more complex and far-reaching than previously thought and merit further study.

The news comes the day after Gov. Bob McDonnell and Virginia House Republicans opted to drop an invasive procedure from a bill mandating ultrasounds for women seeking abortions; under an amended version of the bill, women would only have to undergo external ultrasounds, not the more invasive transvaginal variety that was originally contemplated in the bill.

It also seems to mark a win for pro-choice forces, which pointed out that the personhood bill was vague enough that it could have countless unintended and unpleasant consequences.