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It took more than two decades to get here, but Virginia has finally passed sweeping LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections.
The Virginia Values Act—which extends nondiscrimination protections on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation—sailed through both the Virginia House and Senate Thursday in back-to-back votes. Its passage into law is nearly assured, as Gov. Ralph Northam has committed to signing the act into law.
LGBTQ advocates capitalized on the first queer-friendly legislature in more than two decades after Democrats won unprecedented gains last November.
HRC president Alphonso David said the moment is historic for Virginia, which up until recently was among the 30 states in America without LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections on the books.
“No one should be discriminated against simply because of who they are or whom they love,” David said in a statement. “This day would not have been possible without the years and years of tireless work from advocates across the commonwealth, or the voters in Virginia that filled the halls of the General Assembly with pro-equality champions who fulfilled their promises.”
VICTORY!!!! #VAValuesAct passes 30-9!!!!! This is an HISTORIC display of bipartisan support for LGBTQ protections! pic.twitter.com/CR9Lqxi1F8
— Hannah Willard (@HLWillard) February 6, 2020
And we did it! #VAValuesAct passes 59-35 off the @VaHouse floor! pic.twitter.com/FdagpHn3U6
— Hannah Willard (@HLWillard) February 6, 2020
The bill still faces a series of procedural votes before hitting Northam’s desk.
According to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, nondiscrimination protections could secure equal treatment for 307,000 queer Virginians.
Please note: This is a breaking story. NewNowNext will update it as details become available.
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