November 19, 2024 Newsletter
Dear friends,
This week’s newsletter provides details about the three constitutional amendments that will be introduced this upcoming Session: the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, restoration of rights for returning citizens, and marriage equality; the newsletter also shares information from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA), and highlights select community engagements from this past week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.
Three Constitutional Amendments
This past week, the Virginia House of Delegates Committee on Privileges and Elections convened to address the three constitutional amendment proposals that were continued (see definition below) from the 2024 Session; the Committee met just prior to the deadline to take action on the resolutions:
HJ1: The Fundamental Right to Reproductive Freedom
Given the fallout from the US Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision which dismantled federal protections for safe and legal abortions, this constitutional amendment seeks to restore the right to reproductive freedom for Virginians. This measure reported out of the Committee and will be considered by the full House during the 2025 Session.
HJ2: Restoration of the Right to Vote
This amendment to Virginia’s Constitution ensures that individuals returning to society from a period of incarceration will have their constitutional rights – including the right to vote – restored to them. This measure also reported out of the House Committee on Privileges and Elections and will be considered by the full House during the next Session which begins in January.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in the United States for a decade now. However, the Code of Virginia still has language that defines marriage exclusively as a union of a man and a woman. HJ9 recognizes as lawful a marriage between two adult persons and thus puts Virginia in alignment with federal definitions of legal marriage. This resolution reported out of the Committee and will also be considered by the full House.
The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections and the full Senate will also consider similar constitutional amendments.
The process for amending Virginia’s Constitution
Amending the Commonwealth’s Constitution does not occur easily. For good reason, it is a deliberate process that ultimately reflects the majority opinion of voters. The process requires several steps:
- The amendment must pass out of both Chambers.
- An intervening election must occur. During the November 2025 elections in Virginia, voters will elect 100 members of the House of Delegates (Senators serve 4-year terms and will not be up for election in 2025).
- The new General Assembly, composed of newly-elected or re-elected Delegates, must pass the amendment a second time, with no changes to the language.
- If the amendment successfully passes a second time, it appears on the ballot for voters to decide. Virginia voters will then have the opportunity to vote on reproductive rights, marriage equality, and restoration of voting rights in the November 2026 elections.
Definition: "Continued" or "carried over" refers to a committee action that postpones consideration of a bill or resolution until the next regular session.
Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA)
This past week, I attended the monthly meeting of the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA). For the past five years, the authority has worked across the region on new projects that help make our transportation networks more efficient and better serve our growing population. A prime example of these efforts is the Fall Line Trail which stretches across seven localities in its 43 miles.
Select Community Engagements
On Tuesday, my Legislative Assistant joined the Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity to congratulate and welcome Ms. Najiyyah to her new, beautiful home. Habitat's homeownership program works to make homeownership achievable. Participants in the program attend financial courses and also put in over 350 hours of their own sweat equity into the home that they will eventually own. This particular Habitat project focused on women in trade industries and not only helped create awareness of women-owned businesses but also highlighted the significant role of women in the trades.
On Wednesday, my Chief of Staff joined the Virginia Farm Bureau for its Legislative Farm Tour in the Counties of Powhatan, Amelia, and Cumberland. Elected officials and staff had the opportunity to speak directly with farmers about their experiences with state and federal regulations, the important programs that provide financial support for their farms, how technology is being increasingly integrated into their operations, and how legislators can better support farmers and their families. All of these are important topics that will be discussed during the upcoming General Assembly session.
On Wednesday evening, I traveled to McLean, Virginia, to attend a gathering in support of Safer Country. Comments by actress and activist Yetide Badak, Hala Ayala, Andrew Goodard (whose son narrowly survived the horrific Virginia Tech mass shooting), and Executive Director Paul Freidman offered compelling arguments for commonsense gun safety laws that keep dangerous weapons out of unsafe hands. Last year, Youngkin vetoed several gun violence prevention measures such as safe storage. We need public pressure on the governor so that he signs into law the policies that the majority of Virginians support and that help keep our children safe in their schools, public venues, and in their homes.
On Thursday, my staff joined the Virginia Responsible Gaming Summit hosted by the Virginia Sports Betting Alliance to discuss the proliferation of online gambling and the need for proactive measures to ensure responsible management in this dynamic subindustry. With more Virginians engaging in online gambling, safeguards against underage usage, privacy breaches, and irresponsible gambling practices are more critical than ever.
On Saturday morning, I provided the keynote address at the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners’ Pharmacology Symposium in Henrico. Virginia is home to nearly 18,000 licensed nurse practitioners who are a crucial part of the Commonwealth’s health care system, ensuring our most vulnerable Virginians have access to quality care.
On Sunday, I was delighted to join the Hanover County Democratic Committee for a great “Post-2024 Election Appreciation & Pre-2025 Election Anticipation Celebration." I continue to be inspired by the Dem Committees all across Virginia for their leadership, volunteer hours, and relentless efforts in focusing on issues that matter to Virginians.
Connecting With My Office
My office can be reached at the following:
Email: SenatorHashmi@senate.virginia.gov
Phone: 804.698.7515
If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here.
— Ghazala
