Senate Kills Bill that Would Undermine LGBTQ+ Protections from Discrimination

Yesterday, Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond) released the following statement on the Senate General Laws Committee’s vote to block a House bill (HB 753) undoing key sections of the Virginia Values Act passed in 2020 by exempting religious-affiliated organizations and non-profits from certain antidiscrimination provisions.

“Today’s vote sends a clear message that Virginia welcomes everyone, with the strongest LGBTQ+ protections in the South,” said Senator McClellan. “This bill seeks to gut our progress, opening up loopholes to allow discrimination against LGBTQ+ Virginians. We still have work to do to achieve LGBTQ+ equality, but today’s vote ensures Virginia continues on the path towards progress.”

McClellan was a chief co-patron of the Virginia Values Act, which was patroned by Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) in 2020. McClellan authored a bill barring housing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, which was incorporated into the Virginia Values Act.