In a historic vote, constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedom passes the General Assembly

RICHMOND, Va. – Today, a resolution to amend the Virginia Constitution to establish a fundamental right to reproductive freedom passed out of the General Assembly. 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. Today’s vote guarantees that the amendment will move to the next stage of the legislative referral process, which requires the resolution to pass the General Assembly again in 2026 before ultimately appearing on the ballot for voters to approve in November 2026.

“We are celebrating the General Assembly’s historic vote today, and are looking ahead to next year’s push to get this critical amendment in front of voters,” said Gabriella Watson, Virginia State Policy Advocate for National Latina Institute of Reproductive Justice, a member of Virginians for Reproductive Freedom (VRF). “A strong majority of Virginians are worried about the government continuing to chip away at our most fundamental rights, and we are ready to come out in force to protect those rights. Our community is committed to keeping the government out of our doctors’ offices and making sure that decisions about pregnancy are led by pregnant people and their medical providers. We expect to make that clear at the ballot box in November 2026, and we’re glad to have the support of our elected representatives as we move through this long process. We would like to thank Senator Boysko, the patron of SJ247, for her leadership, and the 72 legislators who voted to advance the amendment this session.”

Background:

• The House of Delegates passed SJ247 (Boysko) by a vote of 51-46.
• On January 31, the Senate passed HJ1, the cognate of SJ247, by a vote of 21-18.
• Recent polling suggests 61 percent of Virginians already support this amendment.
• Over 100 people recently attended a webinar put on by VRF which explained the reproductive freedom constitutional amendment, why it is needed, and what the constitutional amendment process looks like in Virginia. The webinar can be accessed here.

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Virginians for Reproductive Freedom

American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - Virginia

Birth in Color

Equality Virginia

Freedom Virginia

Hamkae Center

League of Women Voters - Virginia

National Council of Jewish Women - Virginia

National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice - Virginia

National Women’s Political Caucus - Virginia

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia

Progress Virginia

REPRO Rising Virginia

Whole Woman’s Health Alliance

A Woman’s Choice Danville

Virginia Reproductive Equity Alliance

Young Feminist Party of Virginia

Virginians For Reproductive Freedom (VRF) is a coalition of 17 state and national organizations that represent healthcare providers, patient advocates, and reproductive justice workers. VRF believes that all Virginians should be able to make decisions regarding their own reproductive healthcare, including abortion care, without government interference, and no one should be faced with criminal punishment for making these decisions or providing healthcare.