The Family Foundation: Action Alert: Don’t Constitutionalize Sex-trafficking and Any Kind of Marriage!

Victoria Cobb, President Sunday, January 14, 2024   It is our understanding that on Tuesday, January 16, a Senate Privileges and Elections committee is likely to hear bills we've been warning you about that would initiate the process of amending the state constitution to enshrine abortion in the state constitution and redefine the institution of marriage.   Please URGE your Senator on the Senate Privileges and Elections committee to Oppose SJ 1 and SJ 11 which Amends the State Constitution to allow for Unlimited Abortion and Any Kind of Marriage!   Sen. Aaron R. Rouse (D – SD 22), (804) 698-7522, senatorrouse@senate.virginia.gov Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D - SD 11), (804) 698-7511, senatordeeds@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Adam P. Ebbin (D - SD 39), (804) 698-7539, senatorebbin@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Travis Hackworth (R - SD 5), (804) 698-7505, senatorhackworth@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Bill DeSteph (R - SD 20), (804) 698-7520, senatordesteph@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.  (R - SD 12), (804) 698-7400, senatorsturtevant@senate.virginia.gov Sen. John J. McGuire, III (R - SD 10), (804) 698-7510, senatormcguire@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Schuyler T. VanValkenburg  (D – SD 16), (804) 698-7516, senatorvanvalkenburg@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Suhas Subramanyam (D - SD 32), (804) 698-7532, senatorsubramanyam@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D - SD 33), (804) 698-7533, senatorcarrollfoy@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Tara A. Durant (R - SD 27), (804) 698-7527, senatordurant@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Russet Perry (D - SD 31), (804) 698-7531, senatorperry@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Danny Diggs (R - SD 24), (804) 698-7524, senatordiggs@senate.virginia.gov Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D - SD 37), (804) 698-7537, senatorsalim@senate.virginia.gov

(Our action email system is currently down.  Above are all of the senators on the committee who you can call and/or email your opposition to these two bills.)   SJ 1 creates a new section in the Virginia Bill of Rights that would declare a right to abortion – regardless of age - at any point up to the moment of birth for any reason, and legalize partial birth abortion.  The proposed language would have severe consequences including: eliminate all provisions for parental knowledge or consent prior to a minor undergoing invasive abortion procedures; allow sex-traffickers to force women and girls to have an abortion; conflict with statutory rape laws that would open the door to legalized pedophilia; allow men to claim a fundamental right to impregnate a woman, and to deny responsibility to pay child support for children they wished to abort. SJ 11, sponsored by Adam Ebbin (D-Arlington), would initiate the amendment process to repeal current language that defines marriage as "only a union between one man and one woman" and replace it with language that would for the first time in Virginia's constitution, sperate "sex" and "gender" as two distinct categories, making the concept of gender identity and transgenderism into a constitutionally protected class. This means that all the issues involving "transgenderism" will now be elevated to a constitutionally protected status, which will affect women's sports, changing facilities, etc. The proposed language states that "the right to marry is a fundamental right inherent in the liberty of persons," however it does not define what marriage actually is, and neither does the Virginia Code.  As such, marriage could be anything! The amendment references "any lawful marriage" without clarifying what is actually a lawful marriage, which would likely trump any current restrictions to marriage in the various statutes, including restrictions on minors marrying, family members, and multiple marriages at once.   To amend the Virginia Constitution, the General Assembly must first pass the exact same language during two separate regular legislative sessions, with an intervening state election, and then it must be voted on by all Virginians. That means the pro-abortion democrat majority could decide to pass it this year or next year, but either way your opposition to these bills is critical.

Please URGE your Senator on the Senate Privileges and Elections committee to Oppose SJ 1 and SJ 11 which Amends the State Constitution to allow for Unlimited Abortion and Any Kind of Marriage!   The committee meeting will be held at the General Assembly Building in Richmond, Virginia.  If you decide to arrive, be sure to wear something light blue!   Tuesday, January 16, 2024 Time of Committee Meeting: On or after 1:00 pm   Senate Room B, 3rd Floor General Assembly Building 201 North 9th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219