# Virginia SB449: Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom(submitting to qualified voters). Virginia SB449, Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom(submitting to qualified voters)., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Jennifer B. Boysko (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-02-17 (Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB449)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB449-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB449 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom(submitting to qualified voters). - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-02-17, Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB449) - Sponsor: Jennifer B. Boysko (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 8 (209 yes, 101 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2026, election to approve or reject an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia relating to the right to make one's own decisions related to reproductive health care, including access to abortion. The amendment protects patients and their doctors and nurses from being punished for making such decisions. The amendment allows the state to place restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient's life or physical or mental health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive. This bill is identical to HB 781. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New constitutional right to reproductive freedom: benefit, high. The Constitution recognizes a fundamental right to reproductive freedom. It covers prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage care, and fertility care. The state may not deny or burden this right unless it meets a compelling health interest and uses the least r… - No punishment for pregnancy outcomes: benefit, medium. The state cannot penalize or prosecute you for using reproductive freedom or for outcomes like miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion. It also cannot punish someone who helps you with your voluntary consent. These protections start January 1, 2027 if a majority of voters approve the amendment in Nove… - Third-trimester abortion rules and exceptions: benefit, medium. Virginia may regulate third-trimester abortion, but it cannot ban an abortion that a physician judges is needed to protect your life or your physical or mental health. It also cannot ban one when a physician determines the fetus is not viable. These rules start January 1, 2027 if a majority of vote… - Voter approval and January 2027 start: benefit, low. Voters decide on this amendment in November 2026. If a majority votes yes, it takes effect January 1, 2027. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jennifer B. Boysko (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-02 | House | Passed House | pass | 64 | 35 | | | 2026-02-02 | House | Passed House | pass | 62 | 35 | | | 2026-01-30 | House | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | 15 | 7 | | | 2026-01-26 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 17 | | | 2026-01-23 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-22 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-22 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-01-20 | Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | 8 | 7 | | ## Actions (30) - 2026-02-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB449) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0003) (Governor) - 2026-02-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0003) (Governor) - 2026-02-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 3 (effective July 1, 2026 ) (Governor) - 2026-02-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB449) (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB449ER) (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., February 11, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-02-04: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on February 04, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-02-02: Passed House (64-Y 35-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-02: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House) - 2026-02-02: Passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-02: Read third time (House) - 2026-01-30: Read second time (House) - 2026-01-30: Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 7-N) (House) - 2026-01-29: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (House) - 2026-01-29: Read first time (House) - 2026-01-29: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-01-26: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 17-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-26: Passed Senate (Senate) - 2026-01-23: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-23: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-22: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-22: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-22: Read first time (Senate) - 2026-01-20: Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 7-N) (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101022D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169213.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169212.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108339.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108338.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090315.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090314.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169213.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169212.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108339.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108338.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090315.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090314.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [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-SB449-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).