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Bill > HJR1

VA HJR1

VA HJR1
Constitutional amendment (second reference); fundamental right to reproductive freedom.

summary

Introduced
11/17/2025
In Committee
01/14/2026
Crossed Over
01/14/2026
Passed
01/16/2026
Dead

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Regular Session

Bill Summary

Constitutional amendment (second reference); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides that every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom and that such right shall not be, directly or indirectly, denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a compelling state interest, as defined in the amendment, and achieved by the least restrictive means. The amendment specifies that, notwithstanding the other provisions of the amendment, the Commonwealth may regulate the provision of abortion care in the third trimester, provided that in no circumstance shall the Commonwealth prohibit an abortion (i) that in the professional judgment of a physician is medically indicated to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual or (ii) when in the professional judgment of a physician the fetus is not viable.

AI Summary

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to the Virginia Constitution that would establish a fundamental right to reproductive freedom. The amendment would explicitly protect an individual's ability to make autonomous decisions about prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management, and fertility care. Under this amendment, the right to reproductive freedom cannot be denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless there is a compelling state interest that is achieved through the least restrictive means. While the Commonwealth would retain the ability to regulate abortion care in the third trimester, it would be prohibited from banning abortions that are medically necessary to protect the pregnant individual's life or health, or when a physician determines the fetus is not viable. The amendment also prevents the Commonwealth from discriminating against or penalizing individuals for exercising their reproductive rights or for assisting others in doing so. A state interest is defined as being limited to maintaining or improving an individual's health consistent with accepted clinical standards, and the amendment is designed to be self-executing with invalid provisions being severable from the rest of the section.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (67)

Charniele Herring (D)*,  Kimberly Adams (D),  Lashrecse Aird (D),  Jessica Anderson (D),  Bonita Anthony (D),  Alex Askew (D),  Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (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),  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),  Patrick Hope (D),  Michael Jones (D),  Karen Keys-Gamarra (D),  Paul Krizek (D),  Amy Laufer (D),  Destiny LeVere Bolling (D),  Michelle Lopes-Maldonado (D),  Alfonso Lopez (D),  Fernando Martinez (D),  John Chilton McAuliff (D),  Adele McClure (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),  Don Scott (D),  Holly Seibold (D),  Briana Sewell (D),  Irene Shin (D),  Mark Sickles (D),  Marcus Simon (D),  Shelly Simonds (D),  J.J. Singh (D),  Richard Sullivan (D),  Josh Thomas (D),  Virgil Thornton (D),  Luke Torian (D),  Kathy Tran (D),  Jeion Ward (D),  Vivian Watts (D),  Rodney Willett (D), 

Last Action

Agreed to by Senate (on 01/16/2026)

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