A Virginia House of Delegates committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would ban the so-called LGBTQ panic defense in the state.
House Bill 2132 that state Del. Danica Roem (D-Manassas) introduced passed in the House Courts of Justice Committee by a 13-8 vote margin.
State Dels. Mike Mullin (D-Newport News), Vivian Watts (D-Fairfax County), Karrie Delaney (D-Fairfax County), Don Scott (D-Portsmouth), Nancy Guy (D-Virginia Beach), Carrie Coyner (R-Chesterfield County), Patrick Hope (D-Arlington County), Mark Keam (D-Fairfax County), Mark Levine (D-Alexandria), Steve Heretick (D-Portsmouth), Richard “Rip” Sullivan (D-Arlington County), Marcus Simon (D-Falls Church) and Jeff Bourne (D-Richmond) voted for HB 2132. State Dels. Rob Bell (R-Charlottesville), Les Adams (R-Pittsylvania County), Terry Kilgore (R-Scott), James Edmunds (R-Halifax County, Margaret Ransone (R-Westmoreland County), Jay Leftwich (R-Chesapeake), Jeff Campbell (R-Smyth County) and Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach) opposed it.
State Del. Charnielle Herring (D-Alexandria) did not vote.
Roem in a tweet said the House of Delegates will vote on her bill on Friday.
Eleven states and D.C. currently ban the so-called LGBTQ panic defense. Lawmakers in Maryland are considering a measure that would prohibit the use of the legal strategy in the state.
