Vote No on the Pro-Abortion Amendment
The proposed Right to Reproductive Freedom amendment, with its broad constitutional protections for abortion, could put Virginia’s existing parental notification and consent requirements at risk.
By Bill Bolling
September 25, 2026
Last week I talked about Virginia Democrats misguided efforts to amend the Constitution of Virginia to give every convicted fellow – violent or nonviolent – the ability to vote immediately upon completion of their sentence.
No requirement for the completion of a probationary period for violent felons, even though 66% of them will commit another crime within two years of their release; and no requirement that they make restitution to the victims of their crimes.
That amendment deserves a solid NO vote.
Today, I want to address another of the Democrats misguided constitutional amendments, which they refer to as the Right To Reproductive Freedom amendment. This proposed amendment deserves another solid NO vote. Here’s why.
Abortion is a very divisive public policy question. While many Americans describe themselves as pro-choice, many other Americans describe themselves as pro-life. Enshrining a position on such a controversial issue in the Constitution of Virginia is never a good idea.
But even then, many Virginians who describe themselves as pro-choice also believe that reasonable restrictions should be placed on abortion services, such as requirements for parental notification and parental consent, and a ban on the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion.
However, if this constitutional amendment is approved by voters it will give every individual the “fundamental right” to “reproductive freedom”, which includes the right to make their own, unfettered decisions regarding abortion.
The proposed amendment further states that the Commonwealth can only regulate the provision of abortion care if there is a “compelling state interest” in doing so. What might constitute a “compelling state interest” would largely be left up to the courts to decide.
Here’s the problem.
The passage of this amendment will quickly call into question the validity of current Virginia law regarding parental notification and parental consent, which says that no person under the age of 18 can have an abortion without their parents being notified and agreeing to the procedure. (There are available judicial safeguards that can be applied in some cases.)
These laws were passed in the 1990s to prevent anyone from facilitating an abortion for a minor without their parent’s being notified and agreeing to the performance of the procedure.
Whether you consider yourself to be pro-life or pro-choice, we should all agree that minors should not be undergoing an abortion without their parents’ knowledge and consent.
But if this proposed constitutional amendment is approved, Virginia’s parental notification and consent requirements will undoubtedly be challenged, and likely overturned. I’m simply not willing to take that chance. I supported those laws when they were passed in the 1990s and I still support them today.
Once again, with this amendment we see Virginia Democrats, who are among the most liberal in the nation, doing what they always do – they are simply trying to go too far.
For the most part Virginia’s current laws regarding abortion access are working, and there is no good reason to run the risk of turning Virginia into the wild, wild, west when it comes to such an important and divisive issue.
Vote NO on the Pro-Abortion Amendment.
BILL BOLLING served as the 39th lieutenant governor for Virginia.
Republished with permission from Virginia Free Press.
