Action Center to Stop the Right-to-Abortion Amendment
The Right-to-Abortion Amendment to the Virginia Constitution is a very dangerous threat to unborn babies. If enacted, this Extreme Amendment would eliminate all restrictions on abortion all the way up until the moment of birth. VSHL is aggressively opposing passage of this amendment but it is only with a large groundswell of opposition that we can defeat the Amendment.
This Action Center gives YOU the tools to help us in this fight to oppose the Amendment. Use the links below to help us fight against the Right-to-Abortion Amendment:
- Sign the online Petition to Oppose the Right-to-Abortion Amendment
- Share the Petition link with friends
- Download and collect signatures with the paper petition opposing the Amendment
- Put a Bumper Sticker on your car to oppose the Amendment
- Download and share our flyer opposing the amendment: Color Version B & W Version
- Watch and share our Video Ad opposing the Amendment — Coming Soon
- Listen and share our Radio Ad opposing the Amendment
- Contact your Legislators via the VSHL Legislative Action Website
- Donate to help VSHL’s advertising and other efforts to defeat the Amendment.
What happens if the Right-to-Abortion Amendment is adopted and why we need to make sure this Extreme Amendment is NEVER added to the Virginia Constitution.
The Amendment will overturn these existing pro-life laws that protect the unborn:
▪ Partial-Birth Abortion Ban
▪ Parental Consent
▪ Limitations on taxpayer funding of abortions
▪ Restrictions on abortion up until birth
The Amendment will prevent passage or reinstatement of the following pro-life laws and prevent any other new pro-life laws or regulations:
• Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
• Woman’s Right-to-Know law: Informed Consent and the Ultrasound requirement
• Parental Consent requirements before abortion
• Protecting Unborn Children from Dismemberment
• Webcam Abortion Ban
• Sex-selection Abortion Ban
• Most restrictions on banning taxpayer funding of abortion
Frequently Asked Questions about the Right-to-Abortion Amendment
What is the process for amending the Virginia Constitution?
• A resolution supporting the Constitutional Amendment must pass both the State Senate and the House of Delegates during the same legislative session.
• A general election for the House of Delegates must be held in between.
• The exact same resolution must pass the State Senate and the House of Delegates during the next session after the election
• The resolution is voted on as a ballot referendum. If a majority of those voting favor the amendment, the amendment will be added to the Virginia Constitution. The vote by the public is scheduled by the General Assembly as soon as 90 days after final passage.
• The next two sessions in 2021 and 2022 are set to fit this timetable perfectly. So, we must lay the groundwork now if we are going to be able to defeat this Amendment.
What is the official name of the Right-to-Abortion Amendment?
The Constitutional Amendment was introduced as the “Fundamental Right to Reproductive Freedom”. The bill number in 2023 is HJ 519. Provides that every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom and that the right to make and effectuate one’s own decisions about all matters related to one’s pregnancy cannot be denied, burdened, or otherwise infringed upon by the Commonwealth, unless justified by a compelling state interest and achieved by the least restrictive means. The amendment prohibits the Commonwealth from penalizing, prosecuting, or otherwise taking adverse action against an individual for exercising the individual’s right to reproductive freedom or for aiding another individual in the exercise of such right, unless justified by a compelling state interest.
Why do you call it the Right-to-Abortion Amendment?
Answer: Reproductive Freedom is legal code for the Right-to-Abortion. The courts could certainly interpret this amendment as allowing an unfettered, unregulated right-to-abortion for any reason and at any time in pregnancy.
A CNN story talking about an Amendment to the Vermont Constitution with the exact same language as the proposed Virginia Amendment describes the amendment with the following: “…to amend the state constitution to protect personal reproductive liberty and guarantee the right to an abortion.”
Who is the lead Sponsor of this Amendment?
Answer: During the 2023 General Assembly session lead patron in the House is pro-abortion Delegate Charniele Herring and in the State Senate are Senator Jennifer McClellan and Senator Ellen Boysko.
How can be the amendment be defeated?
Answer: Having a pro-life majority of the State Senate or the House of Delegates to defeat the resolution, or Virginians defeat the proposed Constitutional Amendment during a ballot initiative. We believe it is important to defeat this Amendment when it is being voted on by the Virginia General Assembly. Planned Parenthood, with vast financial resources, would dramatically outspend pro-life efforts to defeat the Amendment if it was voted out of the General Assembly.
