VCHR Virginia General Assembly Advocacy Day 2025 (GAAD 2025)


VCHR supporters meet with Delegate Joshua Cole during the VCHR General Assembly Advocacy Day 2025


VCHR is proud to announce that we played a key role in defeating eight anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-free speech bills, that also targeted the movement for Palestinian rights, in the Virginia General Assembly in 2025!

The eight bills that we opposed and defeated in 2025, were as follows:

  1. HB1650 This bill would have granted extensive powers to the Attorney General (currently the corrupt and authoritarian-leaning Miyares) to target civil society groups merely on “suspicion” of support or “potential” support for “terrorism.”
    DEFEATED!
    1. Chief Patron: Jason S. Ballard (Republican)
    2. Offered January 3, 2025
    3. LEFT in House Courts of Justice Committee
    4. DEFEATED!
    5. Notes:
  1. HB2529 – In an attempt to silence the student-led movement against apartheid and genocide, this bill would have broadly prohibited attempts to disentangle any public university from violations of human rights.
    DEFEATED!
    1. Chief Patrons: Jones and Helmer (Democrats)
    2. Offered January 8, 2025
    3. LEFT in House Committee on Rules
    4. DEFEATED!
    5. Not brought up in Committee thanks to the pressure from constituents and advocates. Thank you to the Delegates and Senators who did the right thing.
  1. HB2207 – This bill would have weaponized “antiterrorism” tactics against students and public institutions of higher education by applying overly broad and vague definitions that could be used to harass and persecute students and student organizations based on their opinions, their race, religion or ethnicity.
    DEFEATED!
    1. Chief Patron: Terry G. Kilgore (Republican)
    2. House Companion to SB1284
    3. Offered January 7, 2025
    4. LEFT in House Committee on Rules
    5. DEFEATED!
    6. Not brought up in Committee thanks to the pressure from constituents and advocates. Thank you to the Delegates and Senators who did the right thing.
  1. SB1284 – This bill would have weaponized “antiterrorism” tactics against students and public institutions of higher education by applying overly broad and vague definitions that could be used to harass and persecute students and student organizations based on their opinions, race, religion or ethnicity.
    DEFEATED!
    1. Chief Patron: William M. Stanley (Republican)
    2. Senate Companion to HB2207
    3. Offered January 8, 2025
    4. Referred to Senate Education and Health Committee on January 8, 2025
    5. ON DOCKET for Monday, January 27, 2025
    6. DEFEATED in Senate Higher Education Subcommittee – Passed By Indefinitely (PBI).
    7. Thank you to the incredible in-person testimonies, particularly the powerful voices of the students! Video coming soon.
    8. Take Action: Send a Thank You note
  1. HB2776 – This bill would have unconstitutionally restricted free speech in Virginia, including the right to boycott Israel or criticize Israeli genocide, apartheid and other human rights abuses, by requiring a loyalty oath to Israel for anyone seeking to do business with the state of Virginia.
    DEFEATED!
    1. Chief Patron: Terry G. Kilgore (Republican)
    2. Offered January 17, 2025
    3. LEFT in House Committee on Rules
    4. DEFEATED!
    5. Not brought up in Committee thanks to the pressure from constituents and advocates. Thank you to the Delegates and Senators who did the right thing.
  1. HR487 – This misleading and grossly bigoted and anti-Palestinian resolution would have indicated General Assembly support of Israel and its ongoing genocide against Palestinians and other abhorrent human rights abuses; and would have also indicated an attempt by the General Assembly to dehumanize and silence Palestinians and human rights defenders.
    DEFEATED!
    1. Chief Patron: Mark L. Earley (Republican)
    2. House Companion to SJ284
    3. Offered January 17, 2025
    4. LEFT IN House Committee on Rules
    5. DEFEATED!
    6. Not brought up in Committee thanks to the pressure from constituents and advocates. Thank you to the Delegates and Senators who did the right thing.
  1. SJ284 – This misleading and grossly bigoted and anti-Palestinian resolution would have indicated General Assembly support of Israel and its ongoing genocide against Palestinians and other abhorrent human rights abuses; and would have also indicated an attempt by the General Assembly to dehumanize and silence Palestinians and human rights defenders.
    DEFEATED!
    1. Chief Patron: Glen Sturtevant (Republican)
    2. Senate Companion to HR487
    3. Offered January 17, 2025
    4. LEFT in Senate Committee on Rules
    5. DEFEATED!
    6. Not brought up in Committee thanks to the pressure from constituents and advocates. Thank you to the Delegates and Senators who did the right thing.
  1. HB2186 – This bill would have financially hurt Virginia’s public education institutions by restricting their ability to freely optimize their educational outreach and financial positions.
    DEFEATED!
    1. Chief Patron: Nicholas J. Freitas (Republican)
    2. House Companion to SB1247, which also failed
    3. Offered January 8, 2025
    4. LEFT in House Committee on Education
    5. DEFEATED!
    6. Not brought up in Committee thanks to the pressure from constituents and advocates. Thank you to the Delegates and Senators who did the right thing.

None of the bills in either chamber made it to crossover. Thank you to all who took action and organized against these dangerous bills. Without your engagement and your voice, both in person and virtually, this outcome would not have been possible. Thank you to the Delegates and Senators who did the right thing.

This has been VCHR’s 10th year advocating in the VA General Assembly for Palestinian rights. We are happy to see the engagement of so many new organizations and individuals this past year in this effort and for Palestine in general. We want to thank and highlight the following coalition member organizations and allied organizations and encourage you to follow them on social media: Hampton Roads for Palestine, Alexandria for Palestine, Muslims for Just Futures, Virginia Student Power Network, RVA for Palestine, Loudoun for Falastin, Richmonders for Peace (RPIP), Students for Justice in Palestine at VCU, Fairfax for Palestine, Palestine Legal and others. Also, please follow VCHR on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.

While we defeated the bills, we have to remember that advocacy for Palestine and other important issues isn’t a single event; advocacy is a good habit, and resistance to oppression is lifestyle. Palestinian rights and the rights of so many are under threat and, just like with these bills, our continued engagement is crucial to protect our communities. Please stay engaged!