2024 VA Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Virginia Legislature in 2024 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
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Senate Votes
HB1174 raises the minimum age to purchase a handgun or assault firearm to 21, and expands the definition of "assault firearm" for background checks. Buyers must consent to a criminal history check, and dealers must verify their age. It also creates a Class 6 felony for anyone under 21 who purchases these firearms.
The Virginia State Senate passed HB1174 on March 8, 2024 by a vote of 21 to 19. We have assigned pluses to the nays because the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution expressly declares that the right of the American people “to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Raising the minimum age for lawful adults to purchase firearms and expanding background-check requirements impose unconstitutional restrictions on gun rights. These measures arbitrarily deny young adults their God-given right to self-defense and set a dangerous precedent for further government overreach.
SB393 requires the Major Employment and Investment (MEI) Project Approval Commission to consider a business’ commitment to board diversity before approving major employment and investment projects. Companies must have at least 30% of their board composed of women and historically underrepresented groups and must submit and update annual diversity disclosures.
The Virginia State Senate passed SB393 on March 8, 2024 by a vote of 21 to 19. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill imposes government-mandated diversity quotas on private businesses, forcing them to prioritize identity over merit—an actual racist practice. It advances the Marxist DEI agenda, a tool used to erode free-market principles and individual liberties through bureaucratic control. The Declaration of Independence affirms that "all men are created equal" and are endowed with "certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." This bill directly violates that principle.
HB1002 requires the Virginia Department of Energy's Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency to track and oversee federal grant programs, loan programs, and other funding opportunities that can support Virginia's energy efficiency goals.
The Virginia State Senate passed HB1002 on March 4, 2024 by a vote of 39 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because states should not accept federal grants, which are unconstitutional, and come with strings attached that erode state sovereignty. Additionally, the Virginia Department of Energy’s Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency is just more bureaucracy that expands government and wastes taxpayer dollars. Rather than accepting unconstitutional federal funding — which, in this instance, also implements the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — Virginia should nullify all unconstitutional federal acts pursuant to Article VI and the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
HB333 clarifies that the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice can travel across the state to observe and document conditions related to human health and the environment in or near "environmental justice communities." It also ensures that the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources provides direct staff support to the Council, without delegating this responsibility to other agencies.
The Virginia State Senate passed HB333 on March 4, 2024 by a vote of 20 to 19. We have assigned pluses to the nays because no government should expand bureaucracy or enable overreach under the guise of “environmental justice.” This bill risks undermining property rights and imposing an intrusive, agenda-driven surveillance operation. Virginia should reject the leftist climate agenda and protect individual freedoms.
HB673 directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation to prioritize funding for projects in low-income areas and those using nature-based solutions when distributing loans or grants from the Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund.
The Virginia State Senate passed HB673 on February 20, 2024 by a vote of 28 to 11. We have assigned pluses to the nays because the government should not pick winners and losers based on income or "preferred" environmental strategies. The United States were founded on the principle that “all men are created equal,” and taxpayer dollars should not be used to benefit select groups over others. HB673 injects social engineering into grant distribution, favoring certain communities while sidelining others, rather than ensuring funds are allocated based on need and merit.
SB716 prevents the Board of Medicine from disciplining a doctor for providing abortions that is legal under Virginia law, regardless of where the abortion happened.
The Virginia State Senate passed SB716 on February 6, 2024 by a vote of 21 to 18. We have assigned pluses to the nays because the right to life is the most fundamental, God-given, and unalienable right asserted in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the U.S. Constitution, and SB716 violates that right. Furthermore, there should be a greater effort to provide specific protections for the right to life beyond those provided by the 4th, 5th, and 14th Amendments.
