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The effort to enshrine automatic restoration of rights into Virginia's constitution successfully passed this year's legislative session today.The amendment must pass again in next year’s legislative session before heading to the ballot for a statewide vote in November 2026.
Today’s vote was the last step in the legislative process for the 2025 General Assembly session, and is the first step in a two-year constitutional amendment process to protect Virginians’ right to make decisions regarding their own reproductive health care without government interference.
“After all, no executive order can change the Constitution,” said ACLU-VA Executive Director Mary Bauer. “Our statewide presence and deep bench of advocacy tools were made for moments like this. To get to Virginians, President Trump will have to get past us.”
"Protecting Virginians’ rights will require amending Virginia’s constitution. Today was the first step of this legislative session in a multi-year process, one that will culminate in Virginians themselves voting on whether to enshrine core civil rights safely out of reach of partisan politics."
“Every eligible individual should be able to access the right to vote in order to participate in democracy that affects every aspect of their lives.” said Sheba Williams, Founder and Executive Director of Nolef Turns Inc.
Virginia has become a key access state for patients seeking care, and a constitutional amendment would protect the rights of both patients and providers to make decisions regarding their own reproductive health care without government interference.