Mark Dudley Obenshain (born June 11, 1962) is an American attorney and politician. He currently serves as a member of the Senate of Virginia from Harrisonburg. Obenshain has been in office since 2004.
Background and Education:
- Born in Richmond, Virginia, Obenshain graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.A. in 1984.
- He later earned his J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1987.
Political Career:
- Obenshain represents the Shenandoah Valley’s 26th state senate district.
- He has consistently maintained a conservative voting record since his election in 2003.
- As a senator, he serves on committees related to agriculture, conservation, natural resources, courts of justice, local government, and elections.
- Obenshain was the Republican nominee for Attorney General of Virginia in the 2013 election but lost to Democrat Mark Herring.
- His father, Richard Obenshain, was an attorney and the original Republican nominee for the 1978 senate election in Virginia before his tragic death in a plane crash.
Miscarriage Reporting Bill:
- During his 2013 attorney general campaign, Obenshain faced criticism for a bill he introduced in 2009.
- The bill aimed to require women who had miscarriages without medical attendance to report them to authorities within 24 hours.
- Obenshain introduced the bill in response to a case where a Virginia woman disposed of her newborn baby’s body in the trash.
- Although the legislation was too broad and unintended, Obenshain clarified that he did not intend to burden women who suffered miscarriages.
