[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6386186,"mediaKeyId","2118447-69ea6c657634ed0351a3207e971a14df","parentId",2118447,"title","House Confirms Block Judicial Nominations, Elects Auditor; Joint Order Executed","audioSeconds",5108,"startMs",2182000,"endMs",7290000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118447-69ea6c657634ed0351a3207e971a14df&start=2182&end=7290","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118447-69ea6c657634ed0351a3207e971a14df/thumbnail_2182000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6386186/Virginia/House-Confirms-Block-Judicial-Nominations-Elects-Auditor-Joint-Order-Executed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386186-a0c34399c2c1de5b3bf70b7a158dabd6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770949337&Signature=aQfTxrWE4hKwGd97LlS57TTLXxnz1V7b~bWaKrHw3OxjzPxCKvJQfblnb-~8Ivl9rFHWkq4L0f4iQN27fd9mfUfL0WDWRa1T9VfmLFsOptd-7urZc3zrRQpz1QyuGBdFZQxtniulqDRTHGZlnTZbLzPBCjy53PHDK3ZbeHry0jeN9azvd3o7XKN41hEP0HyxrM2NF~r1YMJLBwaJun50QWbJcoZZ7y6TNGpexORb-wTMyEY4p6PTOYTMldtACTdHMnYZ0y8EJ2cu3LZalJ2mcw2cmUVl~aCT-25D96WAl8eXFQuRhRMdcQ1S9bQNS5LqC8rPS~grwlm~remlQaIItg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virginia Legislature","date","2025-01-14T00:00:00Z","article","The Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday carried out the joint order under House Joint Resolution 476 and agreed to a package of resolutions nominating judicial officers and the auditor of public accounts.

Clerk reports and motions to adopt the resolutions were made for House Resolutions 472, 473, 474 and 475 (nominations for circuit court judges, general district court judges, juvenile and domestic relations judges, and members of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission). The House then considered House Resolution 476, the joint order authorizing the joint actions with the Senate.

Block voting proceeded under the joint order. The clerk closed the roll on several of the nominations and reported \"Ayes 99, Noes 0\" at one point; later steps recorded the reading of the committee report waived by a recorded vote of 99–0. The clerk announced that judges nominated in the package had received a majority of votes cast by the members present and were \"declared duly elected\" to the respective courts for the terms specified. The nominee for auditor of public accounts was likewise declared elected by the joint vote.

Delegate Maldonado (Prince William) reported the committee finding to the chamber and moved to waive the reading of the report; the House agreed by recorded vote. The clerk recorded final formalities and announced the completion of the joint order.

The House then resumed the regular calendar.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 14, 2025 - Regular Session","oneSentenceSummary","The House adopted a series of resolutions nominating judges to circuit, general district, and juvenile and domestic relations courts and members of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, and agreed to the auditor nomination under the joint order; block votes were recorded and nominees were declared duly elected.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature VA, Virginia","taxId",77687,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6386194,"House Votes to Remove Constitutional Language Banning Recognition of Same‑Sex Marriage",637,10902000,11539000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118447-69ea6c657634ed0351a3207e971a14df&start=10902&end=11539","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118447-69ea6c657634ed0351a3207e971a14df/thumbnail_10902000.jpg","/articles/6386194/Virginia/House-Votes-to-Remove-Constitutional-Language-Banning-Recognition-of-SameSex-Marriage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386194-13dca8f2dd6bde6fb57b89941c788fb0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770949337&Signature=T-PoOBXLw~5s5ZCHFm~mgIqSrjZy0AF1K9j2~uU~lpCx-vUJwdfIWg-wwLVykMlpYQ2EtCMuR0sQeWve0BAB80XnmYFI90CpL6D96x5g6N4Fh1MTeeaOEp-GH6E8mgREab-M3fEoKOnnzRfsibyWG3JsKq7zbzEpa1HAtEdJLBAkduWRLrkdpor96Yw7how4ZVdBMUHzBNQAdsz8-Lwwh-Ls4nBF8AEASpE4sWWZAg~LsL~4nDMm2qI1LuepaP~wGBzXDWoWqLZs7YsLBLf8cYQ2Ha1Zl7rBmH5WY1IDVpPfd21hGG4gHVvy9FpULGQF4qUoy~-yEqHOX~~hbnO~7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday agreed to House Joint Resolution 9 by a recorded vote of 58 ayes, 35 noes and 2 abstentions. The resolution would remove a clause in the state constitution adopted in 2006 that barred the Commonwealth from recognizing relationships that \"approximate\" marriage and would replace it with language guaranteeing that the Commonwealth shall not deny the issuance of a marriage license on the basis of sex, gender or race.

Sponsor Delegate Mark Sickles (Fairfax) and other backers said the change is necessary to preserve the legal status of marriages recognized under federal precedent and to protect families from potential future court decisions that could reverse Obergefell v. Hodges. \"The Commonwealth shall not deny the issuance of a marriage license to adult persons seeking a lawful marriage on the basis of sex, gender, or race of such persons,\" the sponsor read on the floor while explaining the substitute text.

Opponents raised questions about conscience protections for religious officiants and whether removing a specific statutory safeguard from the introduced draft could have unintended legal consequences. During debate, several members asked whether clergy or other officiants could be compelled to perform ceremonies against their beliefs; the sponsor and other legislators said existing statutory and constitutional protections for religious exercise remain and that the bill was not intended to force anyone to perform a marriage against their conscience.

After votes on the committee substitute and floor consideration, the clerk recorded Ayes 58, Noes 35, Abstentions 2 and the resolution was agreed to by the House. The resolution was presented with a committee substitute earlier in the day and that substitute was adopted by the chamber before the final vote.

Speakers on both sides emphasized family, legal certainty and religious liberty in their remarks, and members noted that the measure is intended to preserve legal protections for families if federal precedent changes.","House Joint Resolution 9, which would strike language from the state constitution that forbids recognition of unions approximating marriage and replace it with a non-discrimination provision on the issuance of marriage licenses, passed the House 58–35 with 2 abstentions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6386196,"House Passes Amendment to Automatically Restore Voting Rights for People with Felony Convictions",3048,7150000,10198000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118447-69ea6c657634ed0351a3207e971a14df&start=7150&end=10198","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118447-69ea6c657634ed0351a3207e971a14df/thumbnail_7150000.jpg","/articles/6386196/Virginia/House-Passes-Amendment-to-Automatically-Restore-Voting-Rights-for-People-with-Felony-Convictions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386196-caa538444148d949a1b14a510841efd0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770949337&Signature=Wewk4SCnNxoYCCMb06sQnJuti~svyToMzgnOb5nXj0tzulmUm-Pw7vyWdBFn6-JO5p9jIk0Qu8t2GLvFu4pwFed3oix0y5oeZSUhZ9B9NEDqOF4aF29eyWozIHn0yneJSzwLKF-J7mh-bof8NHdvQrzU2f8ihpeEMoXEA-RPRY6NM4WNc1-r53Kxu1tcIETHPaW5kE~JENQz64QfQBSGVnqVqEQ0Qm0fXnTnMZiwF3wEto~Al8FeObLtZtPysFLgwLWtd4Sw5i5e0sD~Mexo0ih~7PLBRqO-5mRJs5JLHI2rnI1wZ2K0CLUoWhyC1XPsRqofP4XzSRAJ0p-XFeqY2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday approved House Joint Resolution 2 by a recorded vote of 55 ayes and 44 noes. The resolution would amend the state constitution to provide for the automatic restoration of political rights once a person with a felony conviction is released from incarceration.

Supporters said automatic restoration promotes reentry, reduces recidivism and remedies a racialized history of disenfranchisement. \"The proposed constitutional amendment provides an affirmative fundamental right to vote for qualified voters,\" Delegate Bennett Parker, the resolution's sponsor, told the chamber, and she noted the change mirrors bipartisan legislation that previously passed both houses.

Debate on the House floor stretched for hours and included several procedural amendments offered by Delegate Daniel Cherry that were considered and disposed of by recorded votes. Proponents argued the amendment would replace the current discretionary, governor-led restoration process with a transparent, consistent standard and would narrow the circumstances under which someone loses the right to vote because of disability adjudication.

Opponents repeatedly raised victims' interests and the need for accountability and restitution before restoration. \"A fair approach is one that acknowledges the harm done to victims and requires as a condition of any restoration that any and all obligations to one's victims and to the commonwealth are restored before the rights are restored,\" Delegate Jason Mide said in floor remarks opposing the amendment, arguing the measure ignored victims' needs.

The measure's proponents drew on the constitutional history of the current provision to make the case for change. \"This plan will eliminate the darky as a political factor in this state in less than 5 years...\" Delegate Marcus Simon read on the floor when summarizing original constitutional intent, quoting the historical record to explain why the provision should be removed.

After debate, the clerk recorded Ayes 55, Noes 44 and the House agreed to the resolution. Several floor amendments were offered and votes on those amendments were recorded earlier in the proceeding; members voted on severing and passing by particular amendments during the morning hour.

The House's action is a legislative step to amend the state constitution and will be processed according to the constitutional amendment procedures.","House Joint Resolution 2, a proposed constitutional amendment to automatically restore political rights to people with felony convictions after release from incarceration, passed the House 55–44 after debate over victims' rights, restitution and historical context.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6386199,"House Approves Constitutional Amendment Establishing a Right to Reproductive Freedom",3111,2584000,5695000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118447-69ea6c657634ed0351a3207e971a14df&start=2584&end=5695","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118447-69ea6c657634ed0351a3207e971a14df/thumbnail_2584000.jpg","/articles/6386199/Virginia/House-Approves-Constitutional-Amendment-Establishing-a-Right-to-Reproductive-Freedom","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386199-d2e334d01a7fcd180b5562fddc6cfd52/orig.mp4?Expires=1770949337&Signature=iVwzskX71AM5ysqCwxsJrJMpWk7uaL87BI12UOA-u4sjpgHts~1F~ot8RA4f5gRZKyxyz8lvtuxA3evpSDwPIkx1Kw2Biu9psF6uTLQVpzwoY9KgbwMYImhCoC64PPKqv6pSn-NZoex5hZaLxPWXQaj1e1-Hi1Yk39CCe7bC2yEw4dXnqHAFxDJ9rsBHObus~I8O9IHmioLYHGQ77itxxA~WyFyRTTs-vow34xic9IVHs5uwrJzWtrT9pErCyQx0dRhHEAbv6umlESIqy-biP6UsS3oxuZgvUhbmcyldvaLNok1o9MKLXvD0ZBAzjprzmnvYRH7Mnr-OIjpneWbnDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday approved House Joint Resolution 1, a proposed constitutional amendment that would recognize \"a fundamental right to reproductive freedom,\" by a recorded voice and electronic tally that resulted in 51 ayes and 48 noes.

Supporters said the amendment would enshrine a range of reproductive-care protections in the state constitution, covering prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management and fertility care. \"HJ 1 is intended to protect Virginia's reproductive freedom,\" Delegate Charniele Herring, the resolution's sponsor, told the chamber.

The resolution's text says the state may regulate abortion in the third trimester but may not restrict abortion when it is medically indicated to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual or where the fetus is not viable; it also includes an explicit \"compelling state interest\" test and a nondiscrimination provision, language supporters said is meant to preserve clinical judgment and evidence-based care.

Opponents called the amendment overly broad and warned it would supersede existing state law. \"This is among the most extreme and ideologically driven constitutional amendments among any that have been proposed in the nation,\" Delegate Edward L. Earley said during floor debate. Other critics raised concerns about parental notification and late-term restrictions, contending the measure could remove statutory safeguards.

Delegates exchanged specific examples during questioning: Herring told the chamber the amendment is written to be \"consistent with current law\" and said the provision would allow judicial bypass or medically indicated care in cases such as a minor who was raped. Another delegate pressed whether the amendment would permit an abortion late in pregnancy based solely on mental-health grounds; Herring replied that such decisions would remain subject to medical judgment consistent with evidence-based practice.

After extended floor speeches from both sides, the House voted to adopt the resolution. The clerk recorded \"Ayes 51, Noes 48.\" The resolution will remain before the legislature as a proposed constitutional amendment.

Speakers noted the amendment would alter the constitutional baseline for regulation of reproductive health in Virginia and could affect future legislation and litigation. The debate repeatedly contrasted the text of the proposed amendment with current state code and with U.S. court precedent.

The House moved on to other calendar items after the vote.","The Virginia House of Delegates approved House Joint Resolution 1, a proposed constitutional amendment that textually establishes a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” after several hours of debate and a 51–48 vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House Confirms Block Judicial Nominations, Elects Auditor; Joint Order Executed

House Votes to Remove Constitutional Language Banning Recognition of Same‑Sex Marriage

House Passes Amendment to Automatically Restore Voting Rights for People with Felony Convictions

House Approves Constitutional Amendment Establishing a Right to Reproductive Freedom