RICHMOND, Va. — This past Tuesday, Virginia’s Senate, which is controlled by the Democratic party, approved constitutional amendments concerning abortion and voting rights, measures that received immediate backlash from Republican legislators. This debate could significantly influence political strategies as both parties gear up for the statewide elections taking place this November.
The Senate voted strictly along party lines with a 24-15 result, also passing a separate resolution that repeals a previous ban on same-sex marriage, an effort championed by Senator Adam Ebbin, the first openly gay individual elected to the legislature. Earlier in the month, similar legislation was successfully passed in the Democratic-majority Virginia House of Delegates for all three topics under discussion.
Senator Jennifer Boysko, a Democrat and sponsor of the abortion resolution, emphasized the importance of these amendments, stating, “We will enshrine these rights into our Constitution to safeguard our freedoms and empower the people.”
The discussions on Tuesday shed light on potential campaign themes for the upcoming elections when voters will decide on all 100 seats in the House of Delegates. For proposed constitutional changes to make it to the ballot, they must be approved in two consecutive sessions, with at least one intervening election in between.
Republican lawmakers criticized their Democratic counterparts for failing to include specific parental consent language within the abortion amendment. Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, a Republican from central Virginia, insisted that parental involvement in children’s decisions should be a priority. He stated at a press conference, “We believe it’s crucial to empower parents to participate in their children’s decisions.”
Amidst a heated discussion, Senator Barbara Favola from the Democratic camp contested this viewpoint, arguing, “Not all families are nurturing, and some may not have the child’s best interests at heart.” She added that this could include situations where a child suffers abuse or faces disownment due to an unwanted pregnancy.
Conversely, Republican Senator Tara Durant characterized the abortion amendment, which fails to differentiate between minors and adults, as a direct threat to parental rights. She asserted, “We are undermining parental authority and jeopardizing the very fabric of family dynamics when we allow outsiders to make such critical decisions regarding a child’s wellbeing.”
In addition to abortion rights, Republicans also took aim at Democratic Senator Mamie Locke’s proposal to protect voting rights, which would modify the existing procedure for restoring voting privileges to those with felony convictions. Earlier, McDougle suggested that individuals should only regain their voting rights after settling any restitution owed to victims and that violent criminals should have their voting rights restored solely at the discretion of the governor.
Locke responded to these critiques by stating that every individual is “more than the worst decision they’ve ever made.” She firmly declared, “The issue at hand isn’t restitution or the nature of the felony committed; it’s about recognizing that once someone has served their time, they deserve to reclaim their fundamental right to vote.”
