Email from Senator Tammy Mulchi 2026 General Assembly Update and Weather Alert 2026 General Assembly Update and Weather Alert Greetings, Last week, liberal progressive Democrats in Richmond advanced a series of sweeping constitutional amendments that would permanently alter Virginia’s Constitution. These proposals go far beyond existing legal standards, remove long-standing protections, and concentrate power in the hands of politicians and bureaucrats—while silencing parents, voters, and faith-based institutions.  Constitutional amendments are permanent. They should be rare, carefully limited, and supported by a broad consensus. Instead, Democrats are rushing through ideological wish-lists with little regard for unintended consequences.   To pass a constitutional amendment in the state of Virginia, it must be introduced as a joint resolution in either the House of Delegates or the Senate and approved by a majority in both chambers. Following the general election for the House of Delegates, the newly elected body must approve the same amendment again. Subsequently, the amendment goes to a statewide referendum on the ballot, where it will become a part of the constitution if approved by the voters. Democrats are attempting to write an unlimited right to abortion into the Virginia Constitution under the vague label of “reproductive freedom.” Despite their messaging, the language applies to every individual, including minors, would invalidate parental consent laws, weaken the Commonwealth’s ability to regulate abortion in the third trimester, allow abortion to be justified based on undefined mental health claims, and contains no conscience protections for religious hospitals, doctors, or nurses. Even worse, the amendment prohibits not only direct restrictions, but anything that could “indirectly burden” abortion—language so broad it could be used to attack safety regulations, parental involvement, or even peaceful prayer near clinics. Democrats rejected reasonable amendments to protect parental rights, preserve medical conscience protections, and clarify limits on late-term abortions. This amendment goes well beyond Roe v. Wade and would permanently lock extreme policy into the Constitution. Democrats are also pushing a constitutional change that would grant automatic restoration of voting rights to felons, immediately upon release from incarceration—without review, without restitution, and without distinction between violent and non-violent crimes. Under this proposal, violent offenders would be treated the same as non-violent offenders, no requirements would exist to pay restitutions to victims before restoration of voting rights, and the Governor's current constitutional role would be eliminated. This is not about fairness—it is about rewriting election rules to benefit one party, regardless of public safety or accountability. Additionally, Democrats are refusing to protect religious freedom. While existing law already recognizes same-sex marriage, Democrats are using this amendment to enshrine language that opens the door to future attacks on religious liberty. They rejected a rational amendment that “no member of the church or clergy shall be required to perform any sacrament of marriage that goes against their religious beliefs.” This amendment would have explicitly protected clergy and houses of worship and shielded private individuals and faith-based organizations from coercion. Once again, Democrats chose ideology over balance and refused to acknowledge legitimate concerns from faith communities. These examples reflect a pattern of one-party rule and follow a troubling trend showing how Democrats are refusing bipartisan compromise, dismissing parental rights, weakening public safety standards, and ignoring religious liberty. Democrats are also pushing a reckless redistricting power grab that would undo the bipartisan reforms Virginians overwhelmingly approved just a few years ago. In 2020, voters created an independent redistricting commission to end partisan gerrymandering and put voters—not politicians—in charge of drawing district lines. Now that Democrats hold unified control in Richmond, they want to tear up that voter-approved system and replace it with a process that allows politicians to redraw maps whenever it benefits them politically. This isn’t about fairness or representation—it’s about entrenching one-party rule, diluting the voices of rural and suburban Virginians, and rigging elections before a single vote is cast. Virginians rejected partisan map-drawing once, and they should reject this cynical attempt to seize power again. I voted against each one of these amendments. I will continue to stand up for Virginians and oppose reckless, permanent changes to our Constitution that undermine parents, silence faith communities, eliminate accountability, and push ideology over common sense. The Constitution should protect Virginians—not serve as a political weapon. As always, I will keep fighting for balance, restraint, and the values that make our Commonwealth strong. 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 in Richmond about any legislative issues at 804.698.7509, at our district office for constituent problems at 434.374.5129, or by email at [email protected]. Governor Spanberger Declares State of Emergency in Advance of Winter Weather Expected This Weekend  RICHMOND, Va. — Governor Abigail Spanberger declared a State of Emergency today due to winter weather that will impact most of the Commonwealth beginning Saturday and lasting through Monday morning. Current forecasts have the storm arriving Saturday late morning in the far western part of the Commonwealth, and progressing eastward, reaching the I-95 corridor by evening. The slow-moving system will continue to impact the entire Commonwealth throughout the day Sunday and lingering into Monday morning for areas east of I-95. The executive order is designed to help the Commonwealth prepare for, respond to, and recover from any impacts and to streamline processes that help localities and communities affected by the storm. “Today, I am declaring a State of Emergency ahead of the winter weather event to ensure Virginia is fully prepared to respond and recover,” said Governor Spanberger. “Our top priority is the safety of every Virginian. State agencies are mobilized, and we are working closely with local governments and utility partners. Everyone should stay informed, avoid travel when possible, and take precautions to protect themselves and their families as this storm moves through our Commonwealth.” “Under the Governor’s State of Emergency declaration, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management is coordinating closely with state agencies, local governments, and our private-sector partners to support preparedness and response efforts,” said VDEM State Coordinator John Scrivani. “Our focus is on maintaining situational awareness, and ensuring communities have what they need to support those that may be impacted. We need Virginians to stay weather-aware, follow guidance from local officials, and avoid unnecessary travel when conditions deteriorate.” Governor Spanberger is asking everyone to be weather aware and prepared: Prepare your family, home, and vehicle ahead of the storm. For tips on how to prepare, please visit: [link removed] Stay off the roads during and after the storm as much as possible and only drive when absolutely necessary. Always give snowplows and responders the right of way. If you absolutely need to be somewhere, get to your destination before the storm begins. Storm impacts will likely delay emergency response to stranded motorists. Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal burning device inside your home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any other partially enclosed area. Snow shoveling is a known trigger for heart attacks. Always avoid overexertion when shoveling. When severe weather occurs, plan to check on elderly or disabled neighbors and relatives. If you must travel, know road conditions before you leave home. Visit 511.vdot.virginia.gov, check the 511 Virginia mobile app or call 511 for road condition updates. More Safety Tips: Virginia Department of Transportation The safety of the traveling public and of state agency employees and partners is always top priority for VDOT. Crews are pretreating bridges and roadways and will be monitoring roadways and treating conditions as they develop. Snow removal operations take time, so travelers should not expect to see bare pavement during — and for a period after — the storm. VDOT clears interstates and most major primary roads first. Crews also plow major secondary roads with vital emergency and public facilities or those with high traffic volumes. Other secondary roads and subdivision streets will be treated if multiday storms hit Virginia, but crews will focus their efforts on roads that carry the most traffic. With the predicted impact of the storm, plows may not get to subdivisions for several days after the storm ends. This could take longer depending on the amount of snow we receive and the forecasted temperatures following the storm’s end. Virginia State Police VSP will have troopers and supervisors actively monitoring roadway conditions statewide and will move to 12-hour shifts as the storm approaches. To help prevent unnecessary crashes, motorists should closely monitor road conditions and follow guidance from VDOT before traveling. Motorists should give snowplows and VDOT trucks ample space to safely perform their duties. Everyone should stay off the roadways during and after the storm unless absolutely necessary. Virginia State Police offers the additional following safety tips to reduce the risk of crashes during winter weather: Use headlights to improve visibility and help other drivers see your vehicle. Clear all snow and ice from your vehicle, including the roof, to prevent it from obstructing your view or creating hazards for other drivers. Slow down and drive for conditions. Reduced speeds allow more time to react and help maintain control on slick road surfaces. Do not tailgate. Increased stopping distance is required on icy and snow-covered roads. Always buckle up. Seat belts reduce the risk of serious injury if your vehicle slides into a guardrail, another vehicle, or off the roadway. Check your vehicle before traveling. Ensure tires, windshield wipers, battery, and fluids are in good working order and keep the fuel tank adequately filled. Carry emergency supplies, including a window scraper, blanket, bottled water, snacks, flashlight, and a phone charger. Virginia State Police will continue to monitor conditions and respond to incidents as the weather event continues. To learn more about how to prepare yourself, your family, and your business for winter weather, visit www.vaemergency.gov/winter-weather. To read the full text of the order, visit governor.virginia.gov Southside Electric Cooperative (SEC) SEC is closely monitoring the forecasted snow and potential freezing rain/ice expected across SEC’s service territory this weekend. SEC wants want to share a few planning considerations as we collectively prepare for this potential event: Restoration timing: If significant outages occur, restoration efforts may be impacted by hazardous or impassable road conditions. Access limitations for bucket trucks, line equipment, and service vehicles could slow initial response efforts, particularly during the first 24–48 hours following the storm. Road access: Clearing and maintaining access to primary and secondary roads will be critical to allow our crews to safely reach damaged infrastructure as quickly as possible. Warming centers: If counties anticipate opening warming centers or similar facilities, we ask that you please let us know so we can maintain situational awareness and support in spreading awareness of these resources to our members. SEC Preparedness & Resource Readiness:  Staged & Requested Resources: We have requested and have confirmed additional crews to assist with any restoration. These include Contract Line Crews (pole replacement crews); Mutual Aid Bucket Crews (line repair crews); Vegetation Crews (tree removal crews); as well as additional track machines. SEC Crews & Crew Scouts: SEC crews and scouts; and SEC personnel are staged throughout the service area to support restoration activities during the storm period. Materials & Logistics: Two additional field material staging areas established for poles, supplementing our four district warehouses; warehouses have been fully stocked with essential materials needed for storm response and repairs. SEC understands the importance of electricity to public safety, emergency response, and vulnerable populations. We appreciate our ongoing partnership with local emergency management agencies and the shared focus on preparedness, communication, and coordinated response. Update from Dominion Energy on Expected Weather Virginia is anticipating a significant outage threat from ice Sunday, as well as snow & cold. Additional updates will be provided this afternoon and over the coming days. Weather overview  Most locations will see precipitation begin as snow. We don't expect that until after 7:00PM Saturday evening, but it looks like closer to midnight for many of us. Once the snow begins, it will stick quickly. We expect a foot of snow across much of Northwest VA and 3-6 inches across much of Central VA before snow changes to ice. Throughout the daytime hours of Sunday morning, snow will transition to sleet, then freezing rain. Dry snow and sleet pellets do not cause operational trouble. The ice from freezing rain is the reason for our Significant threat. If we see more snow and sleet, then the operational outlook will improve. If our current ice forecast holds, this has the potential to be one of our largest winter weather operational impacts. Freezing rain is most likely all day Sunday and into the overnight/early Monday morning. We expect a widespread 0.25-0.50 inches of ice accumulation across our territory. Email Us P.O. Box 145, Clarksville, VA 23927 (434) 374 5129 Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email Paid for and Authorized by Mulchi 4 Senate Senator Tammy Mulchi | P.O. Box 145 | Clarksville, VA 23927 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice