Email from Senator Tammy Mulchi Proposed Constitutional Amendments Proposed Constitutional Amendments Greetings, And the hits keep coming. In recent weeks, I have shared with you examples of legislation already introduced by the new liberal progressive Democrat majority in the General Assembly. Bills that will come before me for a vote in the 2026 session, which begins January 14. In this issue of “elections have consequences,” I will focus on the four Constitutional Amendments that have already been proposed.   To pass a constitutional amendment in Virginia, it must be introduced as a joint resolution in either chamber of the General Assembly and approved by a majority in both. After a general election for the House of Delegates, the newly elected body must approve the same amendment again. The amendment then goes to a statewide referendum, where it becomes part of the constitution if approved by a majority of voters. Three of the Constitutional Amendments were passed during the 2025 session and are now being put forward for the second time. The fourth pertains to redistricting and was introduced during the outrageous, rushed “special session” one week before election day. I am still outraged at this obvious partisan power grab by the Democrats. One week before election day, Democrats called us back to Richmond for a political stunt on redistricting. I voted against these amendments in the 2025 session, and I will continue to oppose them in the 2026 session. First introduced in the 2025 session and now again for the 2026 session, HJ 1, a proposed constitutional amendment that seeks to affirm a fundamental right to reproductive freedom in Virginia. If HJ 1 were passed by the voters, it would establish a constitutional right to elective abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. This amendment would also remove Virginians' ability to have a say in protecting women, girls, and preborn children from the effects of elective abortion. If HJ 1 passes, minor children may receive an abortion, with no knowledge or say from parents or guardians; parents matter. Parents must sign school field trip permission slips and give written consent for a school nurse to even provide a sick child an aspirin, but Virginia Democrats want to allow minors access to abortions without parental knowledge? I voted against this in 2025 and remain opposed. I am firmly pro-life and will not stand quietly aside and allow this. I will fight to protect life. Will you fight with me? Another proposed amendment, originally passed during the 2025 session and now returned, is HJ 2, which proposes automatic restoration of voting rights for individuals upon release from prison. This includes violent offenders and individuals who have committed serious crimes, including some who have committed violent crimes against women and even children. In Virginia, felony convictions result in loss of civil rights such as voting, jury service, holding office, becoming a notary, and firearm possession. Currently, the Virginia Constitution provides that only the Governor can restore these rights, except for firearms. If enacted, this amendment would begin restoring people’s voting rights immediately upon their release from incarceration, regardless of whether they are still on probation or parole, or whether they owe any outstanding court debts or restitution to their victims. What about the victims? Shouldn’t the victims’ voices be factored into this process? I completely understand the desire for second chances, and I think the current process in Virginia for restoring voting rights to felons encourages accountability while remaining fair. It’s important for those who have made mistakes to demonstrate their commitment to turning their lives around before regaining these privileges. Virginia currently has clear, positive conditions for the restoration of rights, including completing their sentences, making partial repayments to victims, and submitting a formal application to the Governor that demonstrates they’re ready to be responsible members of our community. By taking these steps, we respect victims’ experiences while still believing in the power of redemption. Next, HJ 3 proposes to repeal the constitutional definition of marriage as only between one man and one woman, along with related provisions. This is the text of the proposed amendment, which will redefine marriage in the Virginia Constitution: That marriage is one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness. This Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall not deny the issuance of a marriage license to two adult persons seeking a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of such persons. In their legal analysis provided to legislators, numerous faith-based groups state that, if passed, the repeal-and-replace marriage amendment would enshrine gender ideology into our state constitution, threatening girls' safety and sports, as well as basic religious liberties. In 2006, Virginia voters chose by a vote of 57% to protect the sanctity of marriage in our Constitution. I support keeping this protection. Without clear protections in the Constitution, faith-based groups and religious leaders could face lawsuits or government pressure if they refuse to host or officiate weddings that conflict with their beliefs. This creates a worrying situation in which churches and religious organizations might end up in expensive legal fights just for sticking to their values, which undermines the traditions that have been respected in our Commonwealth. When considering this amendment, we need to ask ourselves whether we’re truly supporting the diverse beliefs that make Virginia great, or whether we’re opening the floodgates to unnecessary conflicts that could put our fundamental freedoms at risk. And finally, the most recent liberal progressive stunt in Virginia, redistricting. Virginia voters already told us what they want by a vote of over 60% they said they want a Constitutional Amendment to end partisan redistricting. Yet, one week before election day, Virginia Democrats brought legislators back to Richmond for a purely political fight over redistricting — a move that wasted time and taxpayer dollars at a moment when our focus should be on the people we serve. HJ 4 was passed during this special-session political stunt and must pass again in the 2026 session before it can go to the voters. I voted against it then and will vote to oppose it again in January. In 2020, Virginia ended partisan redistricting (gerrymandering) through a widely supported bipartisan constitutional amendment. Despite voters' preference for fair, independent maps, Democrats are now seeking to reverse this change and reinstate the old system, raising concerns about election integrity. Letting political interests take priority over what voters actually want really shakes people’s trust in our elections and goes against the core values that our government is supposed to represent. We need to remain with the redistricting process that Virginia voters have already chosen to make sure every Virginian’s vote counts equally. Now is the time to urge every concerned Virginian to stand up for transparency, accountability, and the idea that our democracy should be shaped by the people, not by political games in Richmond. A Constitutional amendment passed by the General Assembly does not need the Governor's signature; the Governor cannot veto or amend it. It goes straight to the people for their voice and their vote. This is where we must act. Should these measures advance to a ballot, whether in a Spring special election or on the November general election ballot, we must work to turn out like-minded conservatives to defeat them. Sadly, if approved by Virginia voters, these measures will become part of the Virginia Constitution and, unless subsequently repealed, they will affect future generations for many years. As always, my staff and I are here to assist you with any issues or concerns. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can be of service. You can reach us at 434.374.5129 or by email at [email protected]   Virginia is for Jobs! A growing job market, record business investment, increasing salaries and wages, and strong consumer confidence drove a 60% increase in the general fund growth rate during the past 4 years, allowing us to provide record tax relief, fund our reserves to record highs, invest record amounts in key priorities like education, law enforcement, and health care. Factoring in the tax relief, we’ve seen over an 8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) compared to 5% in the prior decade. Our strong revenue forecast underpins the balanced budget that I will deliver to the General Assembly this month. Attorney General Miyares Leads Multistate Effort Defending Title IX and Student Privacy Attorney General Jason Miyares today announced that Virginia is leading a 21-state coalition in filing an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to uphold the dismissal of lawsuits filed by the Fairfax County School Board and the Arlington School Board. The school divisions argue that Title IX and the Fourth Circuit’s 2020 decision in Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board require them to adopt policies allowing students to access bathrooms and locker rooms based solely on self-declared gender identity. The amicus brief explains that this claim has no legal grounding. “Nothing in Title IX, its regulations, or the Grimm decision requires school divisions to adopt sweeping policies that disregard basic privacy protections or put student safety at risk. Privacy and safety are not partisan issues. They are fundamental expectations in every Virginia school,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “The school divisions’ effort to twist Grimm far beyond its actual holding is unsupported by law and profoundly irresponsible. The district court made the proper call, and the Fourth Circuit should uphold it. Fairfax and Arlington are not exempt from following the law, and their reckless choices make clear that protecting children was never their priority.” The brief explains that Grimm was a narrow, as-applied ruling about a single student and a single bathroom policy. The court did not hold that schools must open all sex-segregated facilities to any student based on self-identification, and it explicitly did not address locker rooms or changing areas. Despite this, Fairfax and Arlington have adopted broad policies that treat a student’s self-assertion of gender identity as sufficient to access private facilities reserved for the opposite biological sex. Title IX was enacted to prevent sex-based discrimination in education. Its regulations were written with the understanding that “sex” refers to biological sex. When schools accept federal funds, they agree to comply with these clear, longstanding requirements. In September, Attorney General Miyares filed two briefs opposing an earlier attempt by the school divisions to block the U.S. Department of Education from enforcing federal protections for women in school bathrooms, locker rooms, and changing areas. Virginia was joined by Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming in filing the brief. Read the brief here. Innovative Childcare Solutions Empowering Employers to Support Working Families Join Virginia Works, Virginia Department of Education, the Virginia Chamber Foundation, and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership for a webinar focused on real-world childcare solutions that support your workforce. You’ll get an exclusive first look at a new technology tool designed to help employers like you address childcare challenges—a key barrier to hiring and retention. As a participant, you’ll be invited to join a live focus group and provide feedback that will directly shape the digital tool before it launches. Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025 Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm Location: Virtual Click Here to Register Launching a new business? Looking to grow or expand your small business? Apply to the 2026 REV UP Pitch Competition and discover cash grant awards, consulting packages, presentation training, and more. Deadline is January 5, 2026! 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