HJ1, HJ3 These Proposed Amendments to the State Constitution neither reflect the values nor the will of the people of Virginia. Please vote against them. The intent of such amendments is not to the betterment of the Commonwealth. In fact, by reducing population by allowing babies to die gasping for breath and allowing same sex marriages is reducing growth of families. This is not protection, but desicreation of life. This will mean a smaller population for all next generations, resulting in fewer and fewer people, fewer tax payors as well. These amendments are not beneficial to life for our state, Thank you!

We need more, not fewer, voters . People who have satisfied criminal punishments and are not violent should be allowed, encouraged to vote.

Dear Chairman and Members of the House Committee, I strongly urge you to vote no to allowing the following four Virginia constitutional amendments to be voted on in a referendum: HJ1, HJ2, HJ3, and HJ4. HJ1 overrides current and future Virginia statues. Because it applies to every individual, it undermines parental rights which endangers minors. It opens the door to guaranteeing minors the right to sexual experimentation, again undermining parental rights. It also implies that parental consent can be nullified as discriminatory if in conflict with supposed reproductive freedom of minors. Parental rights are a God-given U.S. Constitutional Right in the Fourteenth Amentment and upheld by the Supreme Court. HJ1 takes away the state's ability to limit abortions up until birth, punishes medical staff who have conscientious or religious objections to abortion, and puts women's health at risk by adopting abortion industry standards. HJ1 destroys unborn babies rights. They, like all of us, have a God-given right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as the Declaration of Independence states. HJ2 allows unrepentant felons to vote. It puts the integrity of our elections at risk by allowing irresponsible people to vote who by their actions gave up their right to vote. HJ3 removes the true Biblical foundational meaning of marriage between one man and one woman as defined by God which when rejected endangers the building blocks of stable communities. The new definition between any two adults could easily be changed to minors and multiple adults in the future because it is not based on truth. HJ3 does not allow for conscientious or religious objections by clergy, religious organizations, businesses, or others. It forces gender ideology on everyone regardless of biological reality and danger to women in sports and day to day life. HJ4 would effectively destroy the two-party system in Virginia almost entirely ensuring that the party in power would stay in power indefinitely. It gives lawmakers from one party the power to choose their voters which undermines fair elections. These four amendments collectively spell disaster to the way of life our founders desired to preserve in the Virginia Constitution as a Godly heritage for us and all future generations. They steal rights and freedom guaranteed to us as U.S. and Virginia citizens. Hold to fast to the values that made Virginia and America great. Vote against these amendments!

I am totally against this amendment that is a sad testimony of the current Democratic party. -When you break the law there are consequences. There is a loss of privileges, rights, and a loss of freedom. If you take away consequences there is even less incentive to obey the law and I would question the judgement of those committing felonies, do we want them deciding the direction of our Commonwealth or country?

Keep up out of the dark ages. Vote Yes on HJ2

The comments I am about to make reflect how reenergized I am about constitutional rights after a recent visit to Montpelier. VA is poised in a special way given our history during the formation of the country to be even more at home with the Federalist Papers, the Bill of Rights, Constitution,and the Declaration of Independence, with so much written here. I truly believe that Virginia can help lead our whole nation to heal divides and ensure the individual freedoms we have been lucky to have(or gain). 1. Please support HJ1. Laws that disproportionately remove the agency of women but not men, reflect the idea of people not being created equal, but that women are created less than and need the government to make their decision decisions for them. Separation of church and state is critical to a free nation that will stay free. Especially during times of economic hardship and limited access to healthcare and health insurance for so many Americans, and with a massive amount of chronic illness often disabling, the lives of our families in Virginia are very complicated now. The only way to safeguard the freedom of women as a president is to full-throatedly support they're absolute autonomy through every step of the way . On a personal note, I have a cousin who required 4 transfusions after an ectopic pregnancy gone wrong and she very nearly died at an age way too young. She was an OR nurse who helped save the lives of countless people. Much of the legislation being drafted does not even consider children left behind if anything happens to their mom in the case of horrible medical problems. Mothers have died in states that failed to protect their medical rights. it is terrifying to see women and drs hamstrung and or persecuted during the hardest times of their lives.. . HJ3. Please vote in favor of HJ3. Again, we are at a critical juncture with protecting the life, liberty, and happiness of so many Virginians. There is no one who is forced to have a same-sex marriage if they do not wish to be in one. Freedom of religion is critical to a healthy democracy. Standing up for the freedom of people, whether or not you agree with their choices, to marry another consenting adult should not be a partisan issue. It reflects the most basic freedom one could have. On a personal level, I am in a marriage that would be protected, a marriage that my entire conservative family came out to celebrate with me. It has never caused harm to anyone, and was one of the most joyful things that happened with our family in years. I have a wife who will support my decisions to help take care of my aging parents and is very much loved by everyone. This legislation is highly politicized and does not reflect even most conservative views and is very partisan in nature. If you get out and talk to people who are not extremists. Virginia is a purple state and this reflects are purple views. HJ4. Please vote yes. I hope the future will bring bipartisan reform to stop redistricting that disenfranchises constituents. This seems like a way to balance the scale back , but more and more it seems like the popular vote may be something to consider. We are people not pawns and this is a short term fix that I hope you will vote yes to. Thank you for your consideration. Please vote yes to all.

Oppose all 4 amendments. The General Assembly scheme to shove these amendments through and rush them to the ballot in a Special Election in April reveals how little the Democrat majority actually want to do what is right for Virginia. Every Virginian should take note of the slimy tactics utilized to get these amendments to the new Governor today. There is no reason these amendments could not wait until November, except those who push ideology over governance have been granted the gift of power. So much for "NO KINGS".

Hi my name is Adriane Graham. I am a lifelong resident of Newport News and active in the community via my church, sorority, graduate school, and through my role as the NNPS Work-Based Learning Specialist. I am in support of the Constitutional amendment ; qualifications of voters and the right to vote (HJ2). The opportunity for returning citizens to become productive citizens is one of the driving forces behind my service in the community. Being married to someone who has had to go through the process of rights restoration has given me a front row seat to the collateral consequences that returning citizens face. Housing and employment barriers already cause these individuals excessive stress, not to mention increasing chances of recidivism. Once someone has served a sentence, forcing them to figure out the rights restoration process and relying on the mercy of one individual to determine whether or not they can return to productive citizenship becomes a dangerous obstacle course. I urge you to support HJ2 to ensure all members of our community have the chance to contribute positively.

Felony disenfranchisement has been a stain on our Constitution since 1902. This amendment will allow individuals to automatically reinstate their right to vote upon release from incarceration. This amendment guarantees that ALL Virginians can participate in the democratic process that governs them.

I am bragging someone to hear my voice. I understand everyone has a different opinion. I am asking that you do not pass the Abortion without safeguards. If we continue down this dangerous path we will not have a country. We need to have babies to sustain to life here in the US, as we all were once a born baby of someone. Think about if your mother had aborted you! I asking to stop the Gerrymandering bill as it will keep voices from being heard from both sides. I am asking you not to pass the bill for unrepentant felons. Those people need to earn their way back into our society. Think about if they committed a crime against someone in your family that you love. How would you feel about a felon then? I am asking this in the name of Jesus.........

Please vote NO on all 4 of these bills. HJ1: We should value ALL life whether it is inside the womb or outside the womb. Who is standing up for the rights of the unborn? Just because a person is in the womb doesn't mean they aren't important. Let's not prioritize the rights of the mother over the rights of the unborn in her womb. Let us be a state of LIFE, not death. Over 1 MILLION abortions were performed last year. That is a lot of potential lives lost. HJ2: Restoration of a person's rights is important; however, it shouldn't be automatic. If we are going to restore some rights automatically, shouldn't we restore them all. Like their Second Amendment Rights too? HJ3: Marriage should be between a man and a woman. Call it something else if you want to comply with the Supreme Court decision. HJ4: The political districts in a state should be drawn by those who would not benefit from them. Regardless of your political affiliation, politicians should not be setting the political districts in the state. Districts should be drawn in the most non-partial way as possible. Politicians drawing the political districts is like having the embezzler in charge of the financial audit, not good. Just because other states are doing this, it doesn't mean we have to do it in Virginia. We can be better. Again, I urge everyone to vote no on these 4 pieces of legislation. Garret

The League of Women Voters of Virginia supports the proposed Constitutional Amendment. Democracy is most representative when everyone has a voice, and thus voting should be protected in our state Constitution. Only two or three states permanently disenfranchise individuals who have felony convictions. At present, it is estimated that many thousands of eligible people are still disenfranchised in Virginia, with a disproportionate effect on minority and lower income Virginians. Please do not continue to punish people for life. Everyone deserves a second chance. With respect to any citizen subject to adjudication of capacity, it is imperative that the court make a specific determination concerning the person’s capacity to understand the act of voting because, without clear guidance to voter registrars, citizens have been improperly disenfranchised, often without notice. If this resolution passes, the voters of Virginia would have an opportunity to voice their support or opposition at the ballot. We urge the Committee to vote in favor.

Voting is a fundamental right to choose. To choose life to choose liberty to choose property to choose happiness to choose what government means. Everyday PEOPLE are incarcerated at alarming rates for nonviolent crimes and suffer the consequences of felony convictions for things many do with a slap on the wrist and then never get to choose again. Lest we forget that people who commit crimes are still people I will say it again they are people at the end of the day. People who deserve rehabilitation. Because endless compassion can heal the worst wounds and tat includes crime. Especially since these people have to already go through leaps and bounds to get those rights back even trying to choose to participate in government and to choose stability becomes an undue burden on those citizens and people when they have served their time when they have been rehabilitated. As someone who has worked with many addicts who have been to jam or prison not one has gone so far that they couldn’t come back even those who have done heinous crimes I have seen rehabilitated themselves because someone showed them compassion enough for them to want it for themselves. No crime justifies a full revocation of your rights as a person not one crime. We aren’t asking for these people to be elected (even though some could argue that we literally have an elected felon as a president) or given special privileges they deserve their bare minimum privileges that have been revoked for no other reason than dehumanization. I ask that you advance and accept this bill to amend the Virginia constitution to include a restoration of voting rights to people who have previously been incarcerated. Thank you.

These 4 Amendments to the State Constitution do not reflect the values & will of the people of Virginia or God. Please vote against them all. Thank you!

The amendment does not take into account the nature of a person’s crime. It does not offer any consequences for persons convicted of a felony that never served timed in prison or served limited time in jail and/or prison and then are released on parole. It does not take into account whether or not fines or restitution has been paid. Please amend the bill to correct this

Please vote NO on Amendments 1, 2 ,3, 4 These do not uphold the values of our Country and State of Virginia. Sincerely, Cheryl Benedict

My husband and I are extremely concerned about proposed abortion bills and legislation. We have lived in this state for many years and never dreamed of these bills moving forward and are aghast at the thought of it. We are vehemently opposed to any such passage of abortion and whole heartedly in favor of preserving and protecting all life espeically of the most vulnerable unborn life that all science now admits. Please say "no" to such bills.

These amendments are of great concern to me

HJ1 Stop this amendment. It is simply permission to end the life of an unborn child who may one day change the world, become a mother or father, or be a person just like you are today, whose mother chose life for you over abortion. HJ2 Every person who has paid their debt to society deserves the right to vote for or against the people who make these life-changing decisions. If you do not allow ex-felons the right to vote, then stop taxing them. They should be permitted to vote for people who represent them as well.

Dear members of the general assembly, I’m a licensed professional counselor and counselor educator working and serving communities, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals and relationships, in Virginia for the past decade. I’m writing to you to share my story about my family. My wife and I started our relationship in 2018 and got married in 2019. We worked hard and deeply desired to build our family. In 2021, we began our family planning journey as an LGBTQ+ couple. In 2022, we welcomed our son who is the biggest gift life can give. Our ability to be married greatly helped us in achieving our dreams as my wife was able to adopt our son in 2023. We all deserve the right to marry and build families and communities that support one another. Protecting the right to marry for LGBTQ+ individuals is a human right. When the judge asked us if there was anything we wanted to share about the adoption order, all we could muster was how grateful we are for this opportunity. Please protect our right to marry and keep LGBTQ+ families whole. Thank you!

I am in support of these Bills as a Virginia resident and voter.

I strongly support HJ2, which restores voting rights for felons. People who have completed their sentence should automatically regain the right to vote. Virginia is out of step with the rest of the U.S. Having the right to vote gives people a stake in helping to make society better.

As an almost lifelong Virginian, I would like to express my full support for each of these proposed bills/amendments.