Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Legislative Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

VA Scorecard 2021-2022

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Virginia Legislature in 2021-2022 and ranks their State Senators and House Representatives based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our first state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.

Senate

1. Sick Leave

Good Vote: No

SB352 Sick Leave (Passed 21 to 19 on 2/15/2022). Requires that health care providers and grocery workers are provided with paid sick leave by their employer.

2. Same-Sex Marriage

Good Vote: No

SB557 Same-Sex Marriage (Passed 35 to 14 on 2/14/2022). Proposed a voter referendum to make a state constitutional amendment to repeal the same-sex marriage prohibition.

3. Executive Order Limit

Good Vote: Yes

HB158 Executive Order Limit (Passed 22 to 16 on 3/8/2022). Limits the duration of any executive order under the emergency service and disaster law to a maximum 45 days from the date of issuance.

4. Noncitizens Terminology

Good Vote: No

HB891 Noncitizens Terminology (Passed 22 to 18 on 2/28/2022). Removes the term "alien" from the Code of Virginia as it pertains to persons who are not citizens of the United States and replaces it with less offensive terms.

5. Broadband Affordability

Good Vote: No

HB1265 Broadband Affordability (Passed 40 to 0 on 2/28/2022). Expends $600 million in federal funds and federal grants to expand broadband and make it more affordable to tens of thousands of Virginians.

6. Heavy Trucks

Good Vote: No

SB706 Heavy Trucks (Passed 26 to 13 on 2/15/2022). Prohibits operators of semi trucks and other large vehicles from using cruise control or compression release engine brakes when driving in active snow, sleet, or freezing rain.

Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
George Barker D SD-039 0% ------
John Bell D SD-013 17% --+---
Jennifer Boysko D SD-033 0% ------
Amanda Chase R SD-011 83% ++++-+
John Cosgrove R SD-014 67% ++++--
Creigh Deeds D SD-025 0% ------
Bill DeSteph R SD-008 83% ++++-+
Siobhan Dunnavant R SD-012 67% +-++-+
Adam Ebbin D SD-030 0% ------
John Edwards D SD-021 0% ------
Barbara Favola D SD-031 0% ------
Travis Hackworth R SD-038 83% ++++-+
Emmett Hanger R SD-024 50% +++---
Ghazala Hashmi D SD-010 17% --+---
Janet Howell D SD-032 0% ------
Jennifer Kiggans R SD-007 67% +-++-+
Lynwood Lewis D SD-006 17% --+---
Mamie Locke D SD-002 0% ------
Louise Lucas D SD-018 0% ------
Dave Marsden D SD-037 0% ------
Monty Mason D SD-001 0% ------
Jennifer McClellan D SD-009 0% ------
Ryan McDougle R SD-004 67% ++++--
Jeremy McPike D SD-029 0% --.---
Joseph Morrissey D SD-016 0% ------
Stephen Newman R SD-023 80% ++.+-+
Thomas Norment R SD-003 67% +-++-+
Mark Obenshain R SD-026 83% ++++-+
Mark Peake R SD-022 83% ++++-+
John Petersen D SD-034 17% --+---
Todd Pillion R SD-040 83% ++++-+
Bryce Reeves R SD-017 67% ++++--
Frank Ruff R SD-015 83% ++++-+
Richard Saslaw D SD-035 0% ------
Lionell Spruill D SD-005 0% ------
William Stanley R SD-020 67% ++++--
Richard Stuart R SD-028 67% ++++--
David Suetterlein R SD-019 80% +.++-+
Scott Surovell D SD-036 0% -----.
Jill Vogel R SD-027 67% +-++-+

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Democrat 3.2%
Republican 73.4%