NORFOLK, Va. — Members of the House of Delegates committee on Privileges and Elections advanced three constitutional amendments to the full House on Wednesday.
The amendments deal with abortion, voting rights, and same-sex marriage.
In order for them to take effect, the full General Assembly will have to pass them in 2025 and 2026. In between, the House of Delegates will be up for election.
If they pass again in 2026, voters would take them up in November of that year.
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Abortion generated the most debate during a hearing in Richmond on Wednesday.
Democrats want to enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution.
"Every person should be able to decide if, when, how, and with whom to start or grow their families," one speaker said.
"It is an undeniable fact supported by medicine that life begins at conception," said another.
The abortion amendment says "every individual has a fundamental right to reproductive freedom."
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Like current state law, it says Virginia may regulate abortion care in the third trimester of pregnancy, although Republicans questioned whether the language is as specific as state law.
"What we have seen across the nation is women dying or close to death," said Del. Charniele Herring (D-Fairfax County), the amendment's sponsor. "What we are trying to achieve here is protection."
"Getting this right, something this big with life and death consequences, I think deserves more than just this meeting," House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert said.
In the end, along a party-line vote, lawmakers advanced it.
They also advanced another amendment that would automatically restore someone's voting rights after a felony conviction once they've completed their prison sentence.
Currently, only the governor can restore their rights.
"We are not defined by our past mistakes," one speaker said.
"This is pro-criminals. What about the victims?" said another speaker.
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The third amendment would repeal Virginia's 2006 constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidated it, but supporters say it's time to take it out of state code, while opponents remain unswayed.
"There are a handful of defining moments in my life and one of those days was the day I married my wife right here in Virginia," said Breanna Diaz from the ACLU of Virginia.
"Marriage exists to bring a man and a woman who are different and complimentary together as husband and wife," said Todd Gathje from The Family Foundation.
All lawmakers will take up the proposals in January.
This process goes on without the governor, so he will not be able to veto these amendments.
If they advance, voters would weigh-in in Nov. 2026.
