Today’s vote was the last step in the legislative process for the 2025 General Assembly session, and is the first step in a two-year constitutional amendment process to protect Virginians’ right to make decisions regarding their own reproductive health care without government interference.

"Protecting Virginians’ rights will require amending Virginia’s constitution. Today was the first step of this legislative session in a multi-year process, one that will culminate in Virginians themselves voting on whether to enshrine core civil rights safely out of reach of partisan politics."

Virginia has become a key access state for patients seeking care, and a constitutional amendment would protect the rights of both patients and providers to make decisions regarding their own reproductive health care without government interference.

“Enshrining our civil rights and civil liberties in Virginia’s constitution would mean no matter what happens at the federal level, Virginians’ rights would be as secure as possible," said ACLU-VA Executive Director Mary Bauer. "We’ll be working to do just that with three constitutional amendments."

“The results of yesterday’s election are clear, and so is the threat to our democracy that a second Trump presidential term represents," said ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Mary Bauer. "We’re ready to fight any attack on these rights with the full force of the ACLU of Virginia."

“Actions like these are why it’s important that Virginia adopt a state constitutional amendment protecting the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which includes abortion and contraception,” said Breanna Diaz, ACLU of Virginia Policy and Legislative Counsel.

“After the fall of Roe v. Wade, it’s become clear that extremists won’t stop at abortion, but are after all reproductive health care – including contraception,” said ACLU of Virginia Legislative and Policy Counsel Breanna Diaz. 

"This election was a critical step to protect Virginians’ civil rights and civil liberties, and a clear repudiation of attempts to roll them back," said ACLU-VA Executive Director Mary Bauer.

We will never stop working to ensure that Virginia remains a place where women and people who can become pregnant are empowered to make choices for their lives and determine their own futures. Now is the time for Virginians to join together and fight. We’re not giving up – we're just getting started