(The Center Square) – A bill establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved contraceptives in Virginia is headed to Gov. Glenn Youngkin following approval from both the Senate and House of Delegates as the 2025 General Assembly session approaches its final week.
The Senate on Tuesday passed the final version 21-19 before sending it to the Governor for consideration. Senate Bill 1105, introduced by Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, protects the right of people to use and doctors to prescribe contraception, including the pill, IUDs, emergency contraceptives, condoms, and sterilization procedures.
The governor will have until March 24, 2025, to sign, veto, or propose amendments. If he does not act, the bill will automatically become law.
SB1105 passed the House 54-41 on Friday with a substitute. It had 21-18 Senate approval Jan. 28.
The proposal comes nearly a year after Younkin vetoed a similar bill stating, “I support contraception access. Of course, there is no question today that access is protected under the Constitution.
“As the issue continues to be deliberated by the Legislature, and recognizing the diverse religious, ethical, and moral beliefs of Virginians, any contraception-related changes must be coupled with robust conscience clause protections for providers and also must uphold the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning their children’s upbringing and care.”
The General Assembly is in its final scheduled week of session, meaning any remaining bills will need to move quickly through a final vote before the session ends Saturday.
The House substitute added two new lines to the original bill. It specified “that nothing in this chapter shall be construed to permit or sanction the performance of any sterilization procedure without the patient’s voluntary and informed consent.”
Hashmi stated that these additions aligned the Senate bill with the House Bill.
Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., have legal or constitutional protections that ensure the right to contraception. Some states, including California, Michigan and Vermont, passed constitutional amendments in 2022 to safeguard reproductive autonomy, while others, such as Minnesota, New Mexico and the District of Columbia, have enacted laws to protect access to contraceptives.
These protection measures started to expand after the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision, which overturned federal abortion rights.
A KFF poll found that abortion was a major issue in the 2024 presidential election, with 12% of voters citing it as their top concern. Roughly 40% of voters believed election outcomes would have some impact on contraception.
