The Senate passed three constitutional amendments Tuesday that would remove the defunct same-sex marriage ban, enshrine the right to reproductive access and automatically restore voting rights to people who were incarcerated for a felony conviction.
SJ 247, sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, which would guarantee the right to reproductive freedom in Virginia, passed on the floor.
“It will take the issue out of the General Assembly’s hands. Once and for all,” Boysko said on the floor. “This amendment ensures that Virginia remains a safe place for women and families.”
It would remove the requirement of three doctors to sign off on a late-term abortion if a woman’s life is in jeopardy and change it to one. Advocates say that this is necessary due to the lack of doctors in some parts of the commonwealth, making it hard to find three doctors in an emergency.
The amendment proposal still allows the commonwealth to regulate abortion in the third trimester, except for when a life is in jeopardy.
Sen. Tara Durant, R-Stafford, spoke against the bill’s parental notification and consent aspect. The bill does not have specific language forbidding children from receiving an abortion without their parent’s consent.
“We are no longer giving respect to parental authority,“ Durant said. “Strangers will make a decision that will threaten your child’s life.”
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, responded to Durant.
He pointed to a United States Supreme Court case that states there is a fundamental right under the Fourteenth Amendment for a parent to oversee the care, custody and control of a child — also noting Supreme Court rulings overpower the state Constitution.
Durant responded by asking why the Senate Democrats refuse to include parental notification in this amendment.
Surovell then responded by saying that the Virginia code requires parental notification.
A tense moment occurred during debate when Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears tried to rule Surovell out of order when he mentioned tactics involving Supreme Court Justices and United States Senator Mitch McConnell.
After a short break, the Democratic majority voted not to sustain Sears’ ruling, allowing Surovell to finish his speech.
The amendment proposal eventually passed on 21-19 party lines.
SJ 248, sponsored by Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, which would automatically restore voting rights for individuals who were incarcerated for a felony conviction, passed on a 21-18 vote.
SJ 249, sponsored by Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, would remove the defunct same-sex marriage ban from the Virginia Constitution.
It passed 24-15.
The House of Delegates already passed these amendment proposals.
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.