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RICHMOND, Va. — For the third year in a row, the “Right to Contraception Act” has passed both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly. Virginia’s new governor, Abigail Spanberger, has pledged to sign the legislation into law.
House Bill 6, patroned by Delegate Marcia “Cia” Price (D–Newport News), passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 64-34 and the Senate by a vote of 24-15.
As the presiding officer of the Virginia Senate, Lt. Governor Ghazala Hashmi will sign the legislation alongside Speaker of the House Don Scott before it is sent to Governor Spanberger for her signature. Lt. Gov. Hashmi championed the “Right to Contraception Act” in the Senate before becoming Virginia’s 43rd Lieutenant Governor.
The Virginia Right to Contraception Act would codify a person’s right to use and a doctor’s right to prescribe FDA-approved methods of contraception, including condoms, the pill, IUDs, and emergency contraceptives.
In his concurrence in the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the high court “should reconsider” the right to contraception.
“I am proud to have fought for the right to contraception during my time in the Virginia Senate and to soon sign the bill as the Senate’s presiding officer before it heads to Governor Spanberger,” said Lt. Governor Hashmi. “After three years, multiple tours, and thousands of petitions, Virginians’ voices will finally be heard, and the fundamental right to contraception will be enshrined into law.”
“Protecting the right to contraception isn’t only about family planning. It is about being able to live life and manage a wide variety of health care needs on your own terms,” said Delegate Price. “Contraception allows me to fight for my community as a state legislator, instead of succumbing to the debilitating pain caused by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. This is a win for the reproductive justice movement. This is a win for the South. This is a win for every Virginian who relies on contraception to meet their health care needs.”
“As someone with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, contraception is lifesaving medication,” said Ela Stanton of Virginia Beach. “Working for Delegate Price, another woman with PCOS, gave me confidence to speak up and share my story. She helped show me I wasn’t alone and had people fighting for me. I’m so thrilled to see this bill pass after everything Delegate Price has done to fight for it, and I can’t wait to see it finally signed into law.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Lt. Governor Hashmi, Delegate Price, and Senator Carroll Foy for championing the right to contraception over the past few years, and for their dedication to seeing this through,” said Americans for Contraception co-founder Chris Fleming. “Whether Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, voters overwhelmingly agree that no politician should interfere with anyone seeking this essential health care.”
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