Virginia Democrats Approve Abortion Amendment
On Friday, Virginia Democrats passed a constitutional amendment that enshrines the right to abortion in the state’s constitution. This amendment will appear on the ballot for a statewide vote in November.
The Democratic-controlled state Senate also approved an amendment to address related issues, including same-sex marriage and the restoration of voting rights for felons who have completed their sentences. However, specific details about the redistricting amendment were also discussed.
To place a constitutional amendment on the ballot in Virginia, it must be approved twice by both the state House and Senate. The first three amendments were passed in January 2025, and the redistricting amendment followed later that year. This proposed change would temporarily empower the Legislature to amend its own maps if another state alters its maps during a specified period from January 1, 2025, to October 31, 2030.
A bill aimed at creating a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” covering decisions related to prenatal and postnatal care, contraception, and abortion care, is sponsored by Democratic State Senator Jennifer Boisko and State Representative Charniere Herring. The amendment would allow certain restrictions on late-term abortions but prohibits states from imposing a ban if a physician determines that an abortion is necessary for the health of the pregnant person or if the fetus is deemed non-viable.
Republican lawmakers were unanimously against the amendment, with proposals to maintain parental consent laws or ensure care for living newborns being rejected by Democrats who pushed for broader reproductive rights.
Currently, abortion is legal in Virginia up to 27 weeks of pregnancy. This legislation is part of a broader trend as abortion measures are on the ballot in ten states during the 2024 election cycle, with mixed outcomes in recent elections.
Voting measures like these can be particularly powerful and hard to reverse, as they amend the state constitution and can only be undone by another ballot measure or through lengthy legal challenges. Historically, such ballot measures receive significant support from Democrats, various advocacy groups, and well-funded organizations.
