# Virginia SB278: Virginia Abortion Care and Gender-Affirming Health Care Protection Act; established, civil penalties. Virginia SB278, Virginia Abortion Care and Gender-Affirming Health Care Protection Act; established, civil penalties., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Ghazala F. Hashmi (Democratic); status failed, last action 2024-11-19 (Left in Courts of Justice) (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB278-2025 - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB278 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Virginia Abortion Care and Gender-Affirming Health Care Protection Act; established, civil penalties. - Status: failed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2024-01-09 - Last action: 2024-11-19, Left in Courts of Justice - Sponsor: Ghazala F. Hashmi (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (43 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Virginia Abortion Care and Gender-Affirming Health Care Protection Act; reproductive and gender-affirming health care services; prohibitions on extradition for certain crimes; civil penalties. Establishes the Virginia Abortion Care and Gender-Affirming Health Care Protection Act. The bill provides that it is the policy of the Commonwealth that all persons are entitled to provide, receive, and help others provide or receive abortion care and gender-affirming health care services not prohibited under the laws of the Commonwealth, and that such provision, receipt, and assistance is not diminished, chilled, or infringed by public or private actors. The bill provides that no law-enforcement officer acting in the Commonwealth or employed by the Commonwealth or any of its localities or political subdivisions may investigate, arrest, or detain any person, seek the issuance of a warrant, or otherwise assist in or provide support for any investigation regarding either the provision or receipt of abortion care or gender-affirming care not prohibited under the laws of the Commonwealth or any person's menstrual health data. The bill creates a private right of action for any person who is aggrieved by such unlawful investigation to obtain an injunction or other equitable relief against such law-enforcement officer. The bill also creates a private right of action for any person who sustains any injury, damages, or other harm resulting from another person who, under the law of a jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth, engages or attempts to engage in abusive litigation, as defined in the bill. The bill also provides that no demand for extradition of a person charged with a criminal violation of law of another state shall be recognized by the Governor if such alleged violation involves the receipt of or assistance with protected health care activity, as defined in the bill, within the Commonwealth unless the alleged criminal violation would also constitute a criminal offense under the laws of the Commonwealth. The bill provides that any subpoena under the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act or any summons for a witness for another state in a criminal case shall include an attestation, made under penalty of perjury, stating whether the subpoena or summons seeks documents, information, or testimony related to the provision, receipt, attempted provision or receipt, assistance in the provision or receipt, or attempted assistance in the provision or receipt of protected health care activity, as defined in the bill. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ghazala F. Hashmi (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2024-01-31 | Senate | Continued to 2025 in Courts of Justice | pass | 15 | 0 | | | 2024-01-25 | Senate | Rereferred to Courts of Justice | pass | 14 | 0 | | | 2024-01-25 | Senate | Rereferred from Education and Health | pass | 14 | 0 | | ## Actions (8) - 2024-11-19: Left in Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2024-01-31: Continued to 2025 in Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2024-01-25: Rereferred to Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2024-01-25: Rereferred from Education and Health (14-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2024-01-16: Assigned Education and Health Sub: Health Professions (Senate) - 2024-01-10: Impact statement from VCSC (SB278) (Senate) - 2024-01-09: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate) - 2024-01-09: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24102762D (Senate) ## Bill text - Introduced, 2024-01-11: [HTML](https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/SB278) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/SB278) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB278-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).