In a historic vote, the Virginia Senate approved a resolution aimed at repealing a state constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The resolution, introduced by Senator Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), passed with a 25-14 vote margin, receiving support from Republicans as well. Ebbin, who is openly gay, celebrated the milestone on Twitter and said, “It is time our constitution reflects the law of the land and the values of our society.”
The Marshall-Newman Amendment, which Virginia voters approved in 2006, was made obsolete in 2014 when same-sex couples were granted the legal right to marry in the state. The General Assembly approved a resolution to repeal the amendment in 2021, but it must pass through two consecutive legislatures before it can appear on the ballot.
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Last month, the state Senate also approved Senator Ebbin’s Senate Bill 1096, which affirms marriage equality in Virginia law. Although the Democrats currently hold a 22-18 majority in the state Senate, Republicans hold the majority in the Virginia House of Delegates with 51 seats to the Democrats’ 47.
