Virginia
Va. House passes two anti-transgender bills
Measures likely to die in Democratic-controlled state Senate
The Republican-controlled Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday approved two anti-transgender bills.
State Del. Karen Greenhalgh (R-Virginia Beach)’s House Bill 1387, which would ban trans athletes from school sports teams that correspond with their gender identity, passed by a 51-47 vote margin. State Del. Dave LaRock (R-Loudoun County)’s House Bill 2432, which would require school personnel to out trans students to their parents, passed by a 50-48 vote margin.
“We are dealing with forcibly outing kids regardless of the safety of their home,” said state Del. Danica Roem (D-Manassas) on Monday when she spoke against HB 2432. “You have no idea of the harm you’re causing. Do better for them.”
Roem, who is the first openly trans woman seated in a state legislature in the U.S., also spoke against HB 1387 on the House floor.
WATCH: Del. @pwcdanica‘s powerful statement on the House floor today, calling out the hypocrisy behind the anti-trans sports ban.
Trans youth playing sports isn’t a problem. Period. pic.twitter.com/kLdcjivQZB
ā ACLU of Virginia (@ACLUVA) February 6, 2023
Equality Virginia and the Human Rights Campaign are among the groups that condemned the bills’ passage.
āIt can be hard for people to understand what it means to be a transgender or nonbinary young person if theyāve never met one. But trans and nonbinary young people are our friends, family members and neighbors, and like all young people, they deserve safe and inclusive learning environments where they can thrive and be supported as they are,ā said Kasey Suffredini, vice president of advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor Project, in a statement. āThese bills would only contribute to further isolation and stigma at a time when trans young people are already struggling.”
The two bills will now go before the Democratic-controlled Virginia Senate.
The Senate Education Committee last week killed six measures that would have banned transition-related health care for minors in Virginia and prevented trans athletes from school teams that correspond with their gender. It is likely HB 1387 and HB 2432 will meet a similar fate.
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
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