PUBLIC EDUCATION:

• Batten voted to punish children who had school meal debt by eliminating their ability to participate in extracurriculars, like clubs and sports.

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+sum+HB583

• Batten was the chief co-patron on a bill to defund our public schools. Her bill would have equated to $5k per student, per year, of community tax dollars being rerouted into for-profit private institutions at the detriment of the majority of students and families.

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1508

• Batten voted against the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program to address food insecurity for students seeking higher education.

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+cab+HC10119HB0629+BREF 

• Batten killed a bill in Committee that would have lowered barriers for active duty military and veteran children to acquire in-state tuition after 4 years instead of 10. Why would an American Veterans Vote endorsed candidate make it MORE difficult for our military children to access higher education?

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB2152

• Batten did a podcast on February 21, 2023, with the VIP Podcast, where she laughed about allowing educators to use corporal punishment on children. Batten then claimed that parents don’t support teachers and went on to suggest parent’s failures are a “generational divide.” Does Batten believe parents matter or does she just think we’re incompetent?

TIME STAMP 11:11

https://youtu.be/2DyptdmzTI0?feature=shared&t=670

REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM:

• Batten voted against defining “birth control” as contraceptives for medical purposes, to ensure birth control shall not be considered abortion. This bill was introduced and passed (in spite of Batten) to protect contraceptive access should a future abortion ban be passed in Virginia.

  https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB552

• Batten shared a Facebook post of her attending a “right to life” rally and proudly holding a “STOP ABORTION NOW” sign. Link to additional photo from this event here:

https://www.facebook.com/AmandaBattenVA/photos/pb.100058114476518.-2207520000/450240965517205/?type=3

• Batten removed her “Pro-life” stance from her website where she vowed to “ensure Virginia protects…through all stages of life,” which contradicts her claim for a “commonsense consensus policy.”

GUN SAFETY:

• Batten is fully endorsed and funded by the gun lobby, including the Virginia Citizens Defense League ($7,500 in contributions) and the National Rifle Association ($1,000 in contributions).

Source: https://www.vpap.org/candidates/309907/donor/147605/?start_year=all&end_year=all&contrib_type=all

Source: https://www.vpap.org/candidates/309907/donor/137269/?start_year=all&end_year=all&contrib_type=all

• Batten voted against increasing the penalties on people who recklessly leave loaded, unsecured firearms where minors have access to them.

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB9

• Batten voted against requiring background checks for the private sale and transfer of firearms.

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB2

• Batten voted to lower the criminal penalties for violating the concealed weapon law, which was a vote to promote criminal activity.

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+sum+HB11

• Batten voted not to disarm domestic abusers, believing that those who have been convicted of stalking, sexual battery, and assault of a family or household member should still be able to purchase, possess, or transfer firearms.

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB1288