Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears leaves Senate before votes, cites ‘unexpected foodborne illness’

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears released a statement on Monday afternoon citing an "unexpected foodborne illness" as the reason for her absence from the Senate.

According to a release sent out by Lt. Gov Sears' office at 2:22 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3, she left the Senate early due to an "unexpected foodborne illness" that caused her to "seek medical advice."

This absence prevents her from casting potentially tie-breaking votes on any bills heard in Monday's Senate floor session.

Last week, Lt. Gov. Sears cast the tie-breaking vote against State Senator Ghazala Hashmi's Right to Contraception Act -- a bill that would protect a person's right to access contraception in the state of Virginia before Democrats used a procedural move to pass the bill.