Virginia
Va. House subcommittees advance two anti-transgender bills
Senate Democrats have pledged to block any anti-LGBTQ measures
Two anti-transgender bills advanced in the Virginia House of Delegates on Monday.
A House Education Subcommittee by a 5-3 margin voted to advance state Del. Dave LaRock (R-Loudoun County)’s House Bill 2432, which Equality Virginia notes “would require public school personnel to contact a student’s parent if they believe that the student’s self-identified gender does not align with their ‘biological sex.'” The House Higher Education Subcommittee by a 6-4 margin advanced state Del. Karen Greenhalgh (R-Virginia Beach)’s House Bill 1387, which would ban transgender athletes from school sports teams that correspond with their gender identity.
Both bills will now go before the full House Education Committee.
The House Early Childhood/Innovation Subcommittee last week voted unanimously to kill state Del. Jason Ballard (R-Giles County)’s House Bill 1434, which would have required trans students to obtain a court order to update their name in school records. The Senate Public Education Subcommittee on Jan. 26 also tabled three measures that would have banned trans athletes from school teams corresponding with their gender identity.
Republicans currently control the House of Delegates by a 51-47 margin. Democrats, who have a 22-18 majority in the state Senate, have said they will oppose any anti-LGBTQ measure that reaches their chamber.
Virginia
Glenn Youngkin signs bill that codifies marriage equality in Va. law
Same-sex couples have been able to marry in state since 2014
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday signed a bill that codifies marriage rights for same-sex couples in state law.
House Bill 174, which state Del. Rozia Henson (D-Prince William County) introduced, is among the dozens of measures that Youngkin signed.
āTwo years into his term, Gov. Youngkin has shown leadership and inclusivity, and has finally listened to his constituents with his signing of HB 174,” said Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman in a statement. “The bill passed through the General Assembly with support from both parties, at a time when more than 70 percent of Virginians support marriage equality.ā
Voters in 2006 approved an amendment to Virginiaās constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in the state since 2014.
The General Assembly in 2021 approved a resolution that seeks to repeal the marriage amendment. It must pass in two successive legislatures before it can go to the ballot.
Democrats control both houses of the General Assembly.
A Virginia Senate committee in January delayed consideration of state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria)’s resolution that would repeal the marriage amendment.
Virginia
Va. lieutenant governor misgenders Danica Roem
Manassas Democrat is first trans person elected to state Senate
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on Monday misgendered state Sen. Danica Roem (D-Manassas) on the Virginia Senate floor.
WVTF Richmond Bureau Chief Brad Kutner in an X post said Earle-Sears, who is a Republican, referred to Roem, who is a transgender woman, as “sir” during a debate on House Bill 964, which would allow attorneys to serve as the executive director of the Virginia Board of Medicine.Ā
Kutner said the Senate went “recess twice after reportedly ‘Sears refused to apologize.'”
“I’m not here to upset anyone, I’m here to do the job the people of Virginia have called me to do,” Earle-Sears later said, according to Kutner.
NEW: hearing @WinsomeSears referred to @pwcdanica on the @VASenate floor as "sir."
Chamber has gone into recess twice after reportedly "Sears refused to apologize."
"I'm not here to upset anyone, I'm here to do the job the ppl of VA have called me to do." #VALeg pic.twitter.com/IyO8JaAQIG
— BK (@BradKutner) February 26, 2024
Roem in 2018 became the first trans person seated in a state legislature in the country when she assumed her seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Voters in the 30th Senate District last November elected her to the Senate. Roem is the first trans person seated in the chamber.
The Washington Blade on Monday reached out to Roem, but she declined comment.
Virginia
Va. marriage equality affirmation bills receive final approval
Measures now go to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s desk
Virginia lawmakers this week approved two bills that would affirm marriage equality in the state.
The Virginia House of Delegates approved state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria)’s Senate Bill 101 by a 58-42 vote margin. The Virginia Senate passed state Del. Rozia Henson (D-Prince William County)’s House Bill 174 by a 22-17 vote margin.
Both bills now go to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
āVirginians across the political spectrum have taken heart to see these bills receive bipartisan support in the General Assembly,ā said Ebbin, a gay Democrat, in a press release. āI hope Gov. Youngkin will sign this critical legislation to create state-level protections for all Virginians regardless of who they love.ā
Voters in 2006 approved an amendment to Virginiaās constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in the state since 2014.
The General Assembly in 2021 approved a resolution that seeks to repeal the marriage amendment. It must pass in two successive legislatures before it can go to the ballot.
āSenator Ebbin and I introduced this legislation to codify marriage equality in Virginiaās Code so that all marriages are protected under Virginia law beginning July 1, 2024,ā said Henson, who is also gay. “Codifying marriage equality will assuage concerns from the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) reversal on abortion rights by the Supreme Court and Justice Thomasā comments in his concurrence.ā