Kathy Byron

Kathy J. Byron (born September 5, 1953) is an American politician. She was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1997 as a Republican, representing the 22nd district in the Virginia Piedmont, consisting of parts of Bedford, Campbell and Franklin Counties and the city of Lynchburg.^[1] In September 2023, Byron resigned from the Virginia House after being appointed as Deputy Director for External Affairs at the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.^[2]

Kathy Byron
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 22nd district
In office January 14, 1998 – September 30, 2023
Preceded by	Joyce Crouch
Succeeded by	Ian Lovejoy (redistricting)
Personal details
Born	(1953-09-05) September 5, 1953 (age 71) Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	John T. Byron
Children	3
Committees	Commerce and Energy (Chairman) Communications, Technology and Innovation Finance Rules
Website	www.kathybyron.com

Virginia House of Delegates

In February 2012, Byron sponsored HB462,^[3] a bill that would require that Virginia women seeking an abortion would have to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound, without her written consent and even if it is against the wishes of her doctor.^[4]

After the controversy caused by passing of this bill by Virginia representatives,^[5] Governor Bob McDonnell amended the bill to include language that would require the written consent of the woman seeking an abortion, and would also require only a transabdominal ultrasound.^[6] However, Byron urged rejection of the amendment on its grounds that a transvaginal ultrasound is an invasive procedure because, "[i]f we want to talk about invasiveness, there's nothing more invasive than the procedure that she is about to have," she said,^[7] referring to her belief that abortions harm viable persons within the womb.

In January 2017, she proposed HB2108, a bill that would prevent municipalities from expanding beyond their current footprint and from building and offering broadband to those within the municipalities.^[8]

Byron and her husband received a tax break designated for a person’s primary residence in Florida, she says her husband is a resident but she is not.^[9]

Electoral history

Date	Election	Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Virginia House of Delegates, 22nd district
November 4, 1997[10]	General	Kathy J. Byron	Republican	10,232	59.04
		Kaye Sweeney Lipscomb	Democratic	7,082	40.87
		Write Ins		16	0.92
		Joyce Crouch retired; seat stayed Republican
November 2, 1999[11]	General	K J Byron	Republican	7,880	63.86
		J P Campbell	Democratic	4,440	35.98
		Write Ins		19	0.15
November 6, 2001[12]	General	K J Byron	Republican	11,564	56.32
		W S Miles III		8,968	43.68
November 4, 2003[13]	General	K J Byron	Republican	12,946	99.95
		Write Ins		6	0.05
November 8, 2005[14]	General	K J Byron	Republican	15,343	99.03
		Write Ins		151	0.97
November 6, 2007[15]	General	Kathy J. Byron	Republican	8,783	98.98
		Write Ins		90	1.01
November 3, 2009[16]	General	Kathy J. Byron	Republican	18,107	98.99
		Write Ins		183	1.00
November 8, 2011[17]	General	Kathy J. Byron	Republican	12,922	97.69
		Write Ins		305	2.30
November 5, 2013[18]	General	Kathy J. Byron	Republican	15,025	66.3
		Katie Cyphert	Democratic	7,612	33.6
		Write Ins		38	0.20
November 3, 2015[19]	General	Kathy J. Byron	Republican	9,228	96
		Write Ins		384	4
November 7, 2017[20]	General	Kathy J. Byron	Republican	19,014	96.2
		Write Ins		756	3.8
November 5, 2019[21]	General	Kathy J. Byron	Republican	14,390	69
		Jennifer Kay Woofter	Democratic	6,452	30.9
		Write Ins		25	0.1
June 8, 2021[22]	Republican primary	Kathy J. Byron		3,200	81.2
		Isaiah J. Knight		739	18.8
November 2, 2021[23]	General	Kathy J. Byron	Republican	23,922	72.65
		Gregory K. Eaton	Democratic	8,415	25.56
		Sarah R. Jerose	Libertarian	537	1.63
		Write Ins		52	0.16