Bill Commons

VA HB 612

enacted

Constitutional amendment; marriage between two adult persons, repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 612 pass?

Yes. VA HB 612 has been enacted into law as of 2026-02-11. Latest recorded action (2026-02-11): Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB612)

What is VA HB 612 about?

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); marriage between two adult persons; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2026, general election to approve or reject an amendment that requires the equal treatment under the law of a lawful marriage between two adult persons regardless of the sex, gender, or race of such persons. The amendment also repeals the current provision that defines marriage as only a union between one man and one woman. This bill is identical to SB 311.

Who sponsors VA HB 612?

Laura Jane Cohen is the primary sponsor of VA HB 612, joined by 6 cosponsors.

Description

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); marriage between two adult persons; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2026, general election to approve or reject an amendment that requires the equal treatment under the law of a lawful marriage between two adult persons regardless of the sex, gender, or race of such persons. The amendment also repeals the current provision that defines marriage as only a union between one man and one woman. This bill is identical to SB 311.

Introduced
2026-01-13
Latest action
2026-02-11 — Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB612)
Bill type
constitutional amendment
Last updated

Sponsors

  • Laura Jane Cohenprimary
  • Garrett McGuirecosponsor
  • Amy J. Laufercosponsor
  • Atoosa R. Reasercosponsor
  • Nadarius E. Clarkcosponsor
  • Betsy B. Carrcosponsor
  • Jackie H. Glasscosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-13

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101672D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-13

    Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-22

    House committee offered

  4. 2026-01-22

    House committee offered

  5. 2026-01-23

    Committee substitute printed 26105972D-H1

    substitution

  6. 2026-01-23

    Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (16-Y 6-N)

    committee-passage

  7. 2026-01-27

    Read first time

    reading-1

  8. 2026-01-28

    Read second time

    reading-2

  9. 2026-01-28

    committee substitute agreed to

    substitution

  10. 2026-01-28

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    substitution

  11. 2026-01-29

    Read third time and passed House (66-Y 32-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  12. 2026-01-29

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  13. 2026-01-29

    Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

    referral-committee

  14. 2026-01-30

    Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 5-N)

    committee-passage

  15. 2026-01-30

    Read second time

    reading-2

  16. 2026-02-02

    Read third time

    reading-3

  17. 2026-02-02

    Passed Senate (24-Y 16-N 0-A)

    passage

  18. 2026-02-04

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  19. 2026-02-04

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB612ER)

    passage

  20. 2026-02-04

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  21. 2026-02-04

    Signed by President

    passage

  22. 2026-02-04

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on February 04, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  23. 2026-02-04

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., February 11, 2026

    executive-receipt

  24. 2026-02-06

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 1 (effective July 1, 2026)

    executive-signature

  25. 2026-02-06

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0001)

  26. 2026-02-11

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB612)

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute

    2026-01-23 · pass · 16-6

    Member-level votes (22)
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Paul E. Krizek: yes
    • David A. Reid: yes
    • Jackie H. Glass: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • JJ Singh: yes
    • Katrina Callsen: yes
    • John Chilton McAuliff: yes
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
    • Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: no
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
    • Mike A. Cherry: no
    • Eric Phillips: no
  • H VOTE:

    2026-01-29 · pass · 66-32

    Member-level votes (100)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: no
    • Jason S. Ballard: no
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Katrina Callsen: yes
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
    • Betsy B. Carr: yes
    • Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: no
    • Nadarius E. Clark: yes
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: no
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Will Davis: no
    • Karrie K. Delaney: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: no
    • Lily V. Franklin: yes
    • Margaret A. Franklin: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: not voting
    • Jackie H. Glass: yes
    • Timothy P. Griffin: no
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
    • Karen Hamilton: no
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • Dan I. Helmer: yes
    • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
    • Phil M. Hernandez: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: no
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: no
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: no
    • Barry D. Knight: not voting
    • Paul E. Krizek: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
    • Marty Martinez: yes
    • John Chilton McAuliff: yes
    • Adele Y. McClure: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
    • Joseph P. McNamara: yes
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
    • James W. Morefield: no
    • May Nivar: yes
    • Delores Oates: no
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: no
    • Justin Pence: no
    • Eric Phillips: no
    • Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
    • David A. Reid: yes
    • Chris S. Runion: no
    • Charlie Schmidt: yes
    • Don Scott: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • Holly M. Seibold: yes
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Marcus B. Simon: yes
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • JJ Singh: yes
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: no
    • Joshua E. Thomas: yes
    • Virgil Thornton: yes
    • Luke E. Torian: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
    • Wendell S. Walker: no
    • Jeion A. Ward: yes
    • R. Lee Ware: no
    • Vivian E. Watts: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: no
    • Madison Whittle: no
    • Bill Wiley: no
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: no
    • Tony O. Wilt: no
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
    • Scott A. Wyatt: no
    • Eric R. Zehr: no
  • Reported from Privileges and Elections

    2026-01-30 · pass · 8-5

    Member-level votes (17)
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: not voting
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: not voting
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Adam P. Ebbin: yes
    • T. Travis Hackworth: no
    • Bill DeSteph: no
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Tara A. Durant: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • J.D. "Danny" Diggs: no
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Tammy Brankley Mulchi: not voting
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • Luther Cifers, III: no
    • Emily M. Jordan: no
    • Michael J. Jones: not voting
  • Passage R

    2026-02-02 · pass · 24-16

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Luther Cifers, III: no
    • Christie New Craig: no
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Bill DeSteph: no
    • J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
    • Tara A. Durant: yes
    • Adam P. Ebbin: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Timmy French: no
    • T. Travis Hackworth: no
    • Christopher T. Head: no
    • Michael J. Jones: yes
    • Emily M. Jordan: no
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: no
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
    • Mark D. Obenshain: no
    • Mark J. Peake: no
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: no
    • Bryce E. Reeves: no
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
    • Richard H. Stuart: no
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
    • David R. Suetterlein: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Angelia Williams Graves: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Use this data

Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=VA&identifier=HB 612. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

Known limitations

  • Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.

See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.