Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Constitutional Amendment
HJ 3: Constitutional amendment (second reference); marriage between two adult persons; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry.
Passed both chambers Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
HJ 3 is a constitutional amendment introduced in the Virginia House on November 17, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Constitutional amendment (second reference); marriage between two adult persons; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry. Primary sponsor: Mark D. Sickles. It lists 75 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (March 31, 2026): Signed by Speaker.
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.
Constitutional amendment (second reference); marriage between two adult persons; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry. Repeals the constitutional provision defining marriage as only a union between one man and one woman as well as the related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment prohibits the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions from denying the issuance of a marriage license to two adult persons seeking a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of such persons. The Commonwealth and its political subdivisions are required to recognize any lawful marriage between two adult persons and to treat such marriages equally under the law, regardless of the sex, gender, or race of such persons.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 61
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark D. Sickles | Primary sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Kimberly Pope Adams | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Lashrecse Aird | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 13 |
| Jessica L. Anderson | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Bonita Anthony | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 92 |
| Alex Askew | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 95 |
| Elizabeth Bennett-Parker | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 39 |
| Destiny LeVere Bolling | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 80 |
| Jennifer Boysko | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 38 |
| David L. Bulova | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Katrina Callsen | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 54 |
| Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Betsy Carr | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 78 |
| Stacey Annie Carroll | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Nadarius Clark | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 84 |
| Laura Jane Cohen | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 15 |
| Nicole Cole | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 66 |
| Josh Cole | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 65 |
| Rae Cousins | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 79 |
| Karrie Delaney | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 9 |
| Lindsey Dougherty | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 75 |
| Mark C. Downey | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Adam P. Ebbin | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Barbara Favola | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 40 |
| Michael Feggans | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 97 |
| Kelly Fowler | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 96 |
| Lily V. Franklin | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Debra Gardner | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 76 |
| Jackie Glass | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 93 |
| Angelia Graves | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 21 |
| Liz Guzmán | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 22 |
| Ghazala F. Hashmi | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Cliff Hayes | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 91 |
| Dan Helmer | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 10 |
| J.R. Henson | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 19 |
| Phil Hernandez | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 94 |
| Charniele Herring | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 4 |
| Patrick Hope | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 1 |
| Michael J. Jones | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Karen Keys-Gamarra | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 7 |
| Candi Mundon King | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Paul Krizek | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 16 |
| Amy Laufer | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 55 |
| Mamie Locke | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 23 |
| Alfonso Lopez | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 3 |
| Michelle Lopes Maldonado | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Marty Martinez | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 29 |
| John Chilton McAuliff | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Adele McClure | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 2 |
| Jeremy McPike | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 29 |
| Delores McQuinn | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 81 |
| Leslie Chambers Mehta | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| May Nivar | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 57 |
| Cia Price | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 85 |
| Sam Rasoul | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 38 |
| Atoosa Reaser | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 27 |
| David Reid | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 28 |
| Danica Roem | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 30 |
| Saddam Salim | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 37 |
| Don Scott | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 88 |
| Holly Seibold | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 12 |
| Briana Sewell | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 25 |
| Irene Shin | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 8 |
| Marcus Simon | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 13 |
| Shelly Simonds | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 70 |
| J.J. Singh | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 26 |
| Kannan Srinivasan | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 32 |
| Rip Sullivan | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 6 |
| Josh Thomas | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 21 |
| Virgil Thornton | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 86 |
| Luke Torian | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 24 |
| Kathy Tran | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 18 |
| Schuyler VanValkenburg | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 16 |
| Jeion Ward | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 87 |
| Vivian Watts | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 14 |
| Rod Willett | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 58 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Signed by Speaker
- Signed by President
- Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ3ER)
- Agreed to by Senate
- Passed Senate
- Senator Jordan, Emily M. Amendment rejected
- Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
- Read third time
- Read second time
- Reported from Privileges and Elections (10-Y 3-N)
- Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
- Agreed to by House (67-Y 31-N 0-A)
Showing 12 most recent of 17 actions. Full history