ABOVE: The Virginia Capitol (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
The Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 16 passed a bill that would ban the so-called LGBTQ panic defense. The measure has one more committee stop before advancing to the Senate floor.
State Del. Danica Roem (D-Manassas), who introduced House Bill 2132, announced the measure’s advancement via a video she posted to her Twitter page after the 9-5 vote.
Roem mentioned Judy Shepard, the mother of murdered gay college student Matthew Shepard, testified in support of HB 2132. Roem said she was “so grateful, so, so grateful that Judy … was able to testify today.”
The bill moves next to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee before being taken up by the Senate.
