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VA HJR3

VA HJR3
Constitutional amendment (second reference); marriage between two adult persons; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry.


summary

Introduced
11/17/2025
In Committee
01/14/2026
Crossed Over
01/14/2026
Passed
01/16/2026
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
04/13/2026

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Regular Session

Bill Summary

Constitutional amendment (second reference); marriage between two adult persons; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry. Repeals the constitutional provision defining marriage as only a union between one man and one woman as well as the related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment prohibits the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions from denying the issuance of a marriage license to two adult persons seeking a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of such persons. The Commonwealth and its political subdivisions are required to recognize any lawful marriage between two adult persons and to treat such marriages equally under the law, regardless of the sex, gender, or race of such persons.

AI Summary

This Joint Resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would repeal the existing prohibition on same-sex marriage and establish an affirmative right to marry for all adult persons. Specifically, it would remove the provision defining marriage solely as a union between one man and one woman and any related provisions rendered obsolete by the Supreme Court's decision in *Obergefell v. Hodges*, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The amendment would also explicitly prohibit the Commonwealth and its local governments from denying marriage licenses to any two adults based on their sex, gender, or race, and would require them to recognize and treat all lawful marriages between two adults equally under the law, irrespective of the couple's sex, gender, or race.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (76)

Mark Sickles (D)* Kimberly Adams (D),  Lashrecse Aird (D),  Jessica Anderson (D),  Bonita Anthony (D),  Alex Askew (D),  Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D),  Jennifer Boysko (D),  David Bulova (D),  Katrina Callsen (D),  Kacey Carnegie (D),  Betsy Carr (D),  Stacey Carroll (D),  Nadarius Clark (D),  Laura Jane Cohen (D),  Joshua Cole (D),  Nicole Cole (D),  Kelly Convirs-Fowler (D),  Rae Cousins (D),  Karrie Delaney (D),  Lindsey Dougherty (D),  Mark Downey (D),  Adam Ebbin (D),  Barbara Favola (D),  Michael Feggans (D),  Lily Franklin (D),  Debra Gardner (D),  Jackie Glass (D),  Elizabeth Guzmán (D),  Ghazala Hashmi (D),  C.E. Hayes (D),  Dan Helmer (D),  J.R. Henson (D),  Phil Hernandez (D),  Charniele Herring (D),  Patrick Hope (D),  Michael Jones (D),  Karen Keys-Gamarra (D),  Paul Krizek (D),  Amy Laufer (D),  Destiny LeVere Bolling (D),  Mamie Locke (D),  Michelle Lopes-Maldonado (D),  Alfonso Lopez (D),  Fernando Martinez (D),  John Chilton McAuliff (D),  Adele McClure (D),  Jeremy McPike (D),  Delores McQuinn (D),  Leslie Chambers Mehta (D),  Candi Mundon King (D),  May Nivar (D),  Marcia Price (D),  Sam Rasoul (D),  Atoosa Reaser (D),  David Reid (D),  Danica Roem (D),  Saddam Salim (D),  Don Scott (D),  Holly Seibold (D),  Briana Sewell (D),  Irene Shin (D),  Marcus Simon (D),  Shelly Simonds (D),  J.J. Singh (D),  Kannan Srinivasan (D),  Richard Sullivan (D),  Josh Thomas (D),  Virgil Thornton (D),  Luke Torian (D),  Kathy Tran (D),  Schuyler VanValkenburg (D),  Jeion Ward (D),  Vivian Watts (D),  Rodney Willett (D),  Angelia Williams Graves (D), 

Last Action

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0975) (on 04/13/2026)

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