State of Virginia Archives: on Families & Children
Terry McAuliffe:
Children's Cabinet, and Council on Childhood Success
Last year I formed the first ever Children's Cabinet, as well as the Commonwealth Council on Childhood Success and I asked them to take a 360-degree approach to increasing economic opportunity for Virginia students from before birth through adulthood.
We are already making great progress.I was proud to help Virginia win a $17.5 million grant last month to expand our pre-school program so that another 1,600 at-risk four-year-olds can learn in a Pre-K classroom in their community.
Source: State of the State address to 2015 Virginia Legislature
Jan 14, 2015
Terry McAuliffe:
Allow same-sex couples to adopt
The Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage in Virginia and many other states means that decisions about marriage are now left to loving adults instead of their government.
I was honored to take executive actions bringing Virginia government into line with the decision, including allowing same-sex couples to provide a loving, adoptive home for a child who needs it.
Source: State of the State address to 2015 Virginia Legislature
Jan 14, 2015
Nick Freitas:
Families start before birth and everyone has worth
Nick is adamantly pro-life and will not only fight legislation to reduce restrictions on unsafe abortion clinics, but will actively encourage,
advance and patron legislation which recognizes government's legitimate interest in advancing the ethic that all people have intrinsic worth.
Source: 2018 Virginia Senate campaign website Nick4Senate.com
Mar 3, 2018
Tim Kaine:
Prevent childhood obesity by improving health education
We must take special steps to instill healthy habits in young Virginians. Too many Virginians of all ages are overweight and our obesity rate is soaring, particularly among our kids.
Obesity brings on diabetes, heart disease and many other severe problems. Every parent listening knows what I mean. Our kids aren't active enough and they don't eat the right things.
They're not to blame. We adults are to blame. We've got to make preventing childhood obesity a major priority.Accordingly,
I have tasked my Secretary of Health and Human Resources and my Secretary of Education to work together to improve health education in our schools and improve the food that is available to our students every day.
Source: 2007 State of the State address to Virginia Assembly
Jan 10, 2007
Mark Herring:
Innovative tech to protect children & catch perpetrators
Attorney General Mark R. Herring recognizes that nothing is more important than the safety of our children. That's why he has made Virginia a national leader in the use of innovative technology to protect children and catch perpetrators, and led a
bipartisan effort to expand the reach of Virginia's efforts. He and his team have helped put hundreds of child predators behind bars through aggressive prosecutions and digital forensics work.
Attorney General Herring and his team have made the services of the office more readily available and accessible to state and local law enforcement agencies and invested in a mobile computer forensics lab so technicians can analyze child pornography at
the scene of the crime.
Attorney General Herring's Office has invested in cutting edge technology that makes it easier for investigators to identify child victims and rescue them from dangerous situations.
Source: 2020-21 Virginia Governor campaign website HerringForAG.com
Nov 1, 2017
Ralph Northam:
Fund doula services for pregnant women
Our budget proposal includes funding for doula services for pregnant women. Doulas provide non-clinical support to pregnant women through their pregnancy and after they give birth, and multiple studies show they improve health
outcomes for the mother and the baby. We know it means a better outcome for mothers and babies.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Virginia legislature
Jan 13, 2021
Jennifer McClellan:
Fought to establish paid family and medical leave
She fought to extend worker protections through measures such as the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, the Pregnant Worker Fairness Act,
the Virginia Values Act, raising the minimum wage, expanding unemployment insurance, and establishing paid family and medical leave.
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website JennMcClellanVA.com
Feb 18, 2021
Tim Kaine:
2005: "conservative on family;" oppose same-sex marriage
Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam seeks to strengthen his position among the state's liberal voters [in his primary bid against former Rep. Tom Perriello]. It marks a big shift from past statewide races, when Democrats tried to claim the political center. A decade
ago, then-Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine cut commercials for his governor's bid touting his opposition to same-sex marriage and calling himself a "conservative on personal responsibility, character, family and the sanctity of life."On the campaign trail this
go-round, Northam and Perriello are both embracing same-sex marriage, backing pro-choice groups, supporting rights for illegal immigrants and bashing the National Rifle Association.
"Virginia has moved from being a southern state to being a
mid-Atlantic state," said former GOP Rep. Tom Davis. "The politics have gotten much less southern in their nature. Democrats that were nervous about guns, certainly nervous about gay rights, the environment, and abortion--that is no longer the case."
Source: The Washington Times on 2017 Virginia gubernatorial race
Jan 13, 2017
Mark Herring:
Strengthen penalties for acts of domestic violence
To protect our kids, he led the effort to crack down on new threats to their safety, working closely with law enforcement and prosecutors to keep dangerous new synthetic drugs off the shelves. He has championed legislation to target
those who would commit financial scams against our seniors and as a member of the Governor McDonnell's Domestic Violence and Response Advisory Board, he sponsored and passed legislation to strengthen penalties for acts of domestic violence.
Source: Vote-USA.org on 2013 Virginia Attorney General incumbent
May 19, 2013
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026