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Today’s Sponsor: Freedom Virginia
Virginian voters could not be more clear - legislators should focus on modernizing our tax system to ensure that the ultra wealthy & corporations pay their fair share. So called "skill" games are NOT the answer.
Virginia Senate Republican Caucus press conference Tuesday morning.
Full Senate to vote on the Democrats’ proposed constitutional amendments
The full Senate is taking their final vote on three constitutional amendments Tuesday that would enshrine abortion access and the restoration of voting rights into the Constitution. They also will take up a vote to remove the defunct ban on same-sex marriage, which remains in the Constitution, despite the United States Supreme Court ruling years ago allowing for same-sex marriage in the country.
Republicans offered multiple amendments to these proposals, including requiring parental notification if a child receives an abortion and also requiring life-saving measures to be given to a baby who survives an abortion. Democrats killed those amendments.
Democrats, specifically Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, said the Republicans are fear-mongering and that state code already provides this protection.
Republicans also proposed only automatically restoring voting rights for nonviolent felons, and after full restitution has been paid, but Democrats killed these changes to the amendments as well.
When asked during a press conference Tuesday morning, Sen. Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, did not directly answer if Republicans would have supported the amendments if Democrats accepted their proposed changes.
“Clearly, that’s not something that we have to worry about because they didn’t,” McDougle said. “They’re pretty rational amendments, the positions that they’ve taken as far as not accepting them, we think are extreme.”
The chamber is expected to take its final vote on these amendments at noon. You can stream the vote on the Senate website. (Click the link with regular session on the list.)
Constitutional amendments have to be passed by the General Assembly in the same form twice, with a House election in between. House elections take place later this year.
If the proposals make it that far, then the proposals go to all Virginia voters for a referendum vote.
Skyrocketing energy demand from Virginia's rapidly growing data center industry could cost households an extra $444 annually on their electric bills. Tell your legislator: Data centers need to pay their fair share.
PPAV lobbies for the amendment
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia are in the Capitol today to encourage legislators to support the amendment.
"Today, Virginians from every part of the commonwealth came together to demand that reproductive freedom be enshrined in our constitution,” said Jamie Lockhart, the executive director of PPAV. “Our work doesn’t stop here. We will continue to build momentum and educate Virginians about the importance of protecting reproductive freedom in our constitution. In 2026, voters will have the chance to make history, and we’re committed to making sure that every Virginian has the opportunity to vote for a future where reproductive freedom is protected, for generations to come.”
This is the Virginia Scope daily newsletter covering Virginia politics from top to bottom. Please consider becoming the ultimate political insider by supporting non-partisan, independent news and becoming a paid subscriber to this newsletter today.
