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Passing Legislation in Virginia

Picture of the State Capitol building in Richmond, VA.

Virginia General Assembly

STEPS TO PASSING LEGISLATION

  1. We need the House of Delegates and Senate committees to pass a Bill in order to allow it to be voted on the House and Senate floors. They give the public a 12-24 hours' notice before the hearing with the agenda of Bills that are up for a vote.
     

  2. During the hearing, they allow a person to testify on the importance of the Bill. Additionally they allow "witnesses" to say whether they support the Bill and make a short statement as to why. We need people to show up in support of the Bill to persuade the committee members to pass the Bill to the House floor. Please click the "Sex Ed Bill | Rapid Response Team" to get updates on coordination efforts and ways to participate.
     

  3. We need the House of Delegates and Senate to vote for and pass the Bill. 
    We need a majority vote.

     

  4. If the House passes the Bill, then the vote goes to the other legislative branch
    (House or Senate) 

     

  5. Lastly, the Governor either signs or vetoes the Bill. Governor Ralph Northam has recently expressed support for sexual health education reform.

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Many people read sex ed reform legislation and think no work needs to be done. That this is common sense, and all that needs to happen is for a Bill to get on the floor for a vote. This is so incorrect. We need to pass it through the committees, which mostly consist of representatives who tend to vote against any sex education reform that includes removing sex avoidance from our curriculum. It will require a lot of Virginians calling and in-person advocacy to ask their elected officials for their support.

SEX ED REFORM BILLS WILL NOT PASS IF WE DO NOT WORK TO GET SUPPORT.

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