With early voting underway in Virginia, pastors, medical professionals, and pro-life advocates are raising concerns about a proposed constitutional amendment that would establish abortion as a protected right in the Commonwealth. Amendment 1, which voters will decide on November 3, has sparked a heated debate over parental rights, medical safeguards, and late-term abortions.

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More than 150 pastors, including Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, have signed an open letter opposing the amendment. Hamrick is encouraging his congregation to consider the spiritual and moral implications of the measure, warning against remaining silent on consequential public policy decisions.

From CBN News:

“When evil policies are enacted and Christians sit it out we have no one to blame but ourselves,” Hamrick said, “I hope that our country, I hope that our state, would really do what is necessary to honor God.”

Since 2022 when The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade, abortion laws have been decided by individual states. Thirteen have since outlawed the procedure. With abortion currently legal in Virginia, making it part of the state constitution would likely keep it that way.

Three-hundred Virginia medical professionals have signed a letter encouraging residents to vote yes, including Dr. Kimi Chernoby.

The amendment would establish a constitutional right to reproductive freedom, including abortion, contraception, prenatal care, and fertility care. It would also limit the state’s ability to restrict abortion, particularly when a physician determines that a third-trimester abortion is medically necessary to protect a patient’s physical or mental health.

Supporters argue that these protections are necessary to prevent future lawmakers from restricting abortion access. Opponents, however, contend that the amendment’s language could weaken existing medical safeguards and parental protections.

Dr. Timothy Boley, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist affiliated with Virginia Medical Professionals for Women’s Safety, warned that the amendment could permit abortions in facilities lacking adequate medical oversight. He argued that such standards would be unacceptable in other areas of medicine.

House Minority Leader Delegate Terry Kilgore has also raised concerns about the amendment’s wording. He argues that its use of the term “individuals,” rather than “adults,” could undermine parental consent requirements for minors seeking abortions.

Olivia Gans Turner, president of Virginia Society for Human Life, expressed similar concerns about language protecting those who assist others in obtaining abortions. She warned that these provisions could complicate efforts to hold individuals accountable for facilitating abortions involving minors without parental knowledge.

Another major point of contention involves late-term abortions. Under existing Virginia law, third-trimester abortions require approval from three physicians. The proposed amendment would instead protect abortions when a single physician determines they are medically indicated to protect the pregnant patient’s life or physical or mental health, or when the fetus is not viable.

Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation, argues that the amendment’s language could significantly expand access to late-term abortions while weakening medical oversight. Meanwhile, the Founding Freedoms Law Center is challenging the ballot summary in court, alleging that it misrepresents the amendment’s implications.

With Election Day approaching, Virginia’s vote represents another significant chapter in the national debate over abortion following the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision. The outcome will determine whether the proposed reproductive-freedom protections become part of the state’s constitution.

As Virginians consider this consequential decision, let’s pray for wisdom, discernment, and a commitment to truth among voters and elected officials. Let’s also pray for the protection of unborn children, the well-being of mothers, and the preservation of appropriate medical safeguards.

How are you praying for Virginia as voters consider Amendment 1? Share your prayers and scriptures in the comments.

(Excerpt from CBN News. Photo Credit: Martin Falbisoner – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28359099)