Marriage Equality Legislation Passes Virginia General Assembly, Heads to Gov. Youngkin’s Desk for [Hopefully] Signature

Great work by freshman Del. Rozia Henson and to Sen. Adam Ebbin on this important legislation. Also note how many Republicans voted against marriage equality in Virginia – and vote (Democratic) accordingly!

MARRIAGE EQUALITY LEGISLATION PASSES VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, HEADS TO GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN’S DESK FOR SIGNATURE

Bills introduced by Senator Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) and Delegate Rozia A. Henson, Jr. (D-Prince William) to codify marriage license protections for same-sex and interracial marriages pass General Assembly.

Senator Adam Ebbin’s (D-Alexandria) and Delegate Rozia Henson’s (D-Prince William) bills – Senate Bill 101 and House Bill 174 – have successfully passed both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly and head to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s desk for final signature.

Ebbin and Henson separately introduced SB 101 and HB 174 to guarantee the issuance of marriage licenses without regard to sex, gender or race of the two adults seeking to enter into a marriage.

“Virginians across the political spectrum have taken heart to see these bills receive bipartisan support in the General Assembly,” said Senator Ebbin (D-Alexandria). “I hope Governor Youngkin will sign this critical legislation to create state-level protections for all Virginians regardless of who they love.”

“Senator Ebbin and I introduced this legislation to codify marriage equality in Virginia’s Code so that all marriages are protected under Virginia law beginning July 1, 2024,” said Delegate Rozia A. Henson, Jr. (D-Prince William). “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 Thomas’ comments in his concurrence.”

Marriage equality opponents testified to legislators in 2023 that the ban on marriage equality should remain in Virginia’s Constitution, reasoning that “The [Supreme] Court is clearly in position to reverse its erroneous 2015 decision.”