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Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2000 SESSION
006864238Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 30-19.9 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 30-19.9. Distribution of information on proposed constitutional amendments to voters.
When a proposed amendment is to be submitted to the people for their approval
and ratification pursuant to Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of
Virginia and § 30-19, the State Board of Elections shall cause to be printed
and distributed to the general registrar of each county and city, not less than
ninety days prior to the election, copies of an explanation of such amendment to be
placed at each registration site in sufficient number to provide a copy to any
interested person, and to election officials to be posted at the polling places
on the day of the election. The State Board of Electionsshall post the
explanation on its site on the Internet. It also shall cause such explanation
to be published by paid advertisement in each daily newspaper with an average
daily circulation of more than 50,000 in Virginia, and published in Virginia or
in a contiguous state or district, once during the week preceding the final day
for registration and once during the week preceding the election at which the
proposed amendment is to be presented to the people.
The explanation shall contain the ballot question, the full text of the
proposed constitutional amendment, and a statement of not more than 500 words
on the proposed amendment. The explanation shall be presented in plain English,
shall be limited to a neutral explanation, and which may include a brief
statement on the effect of a “yes” and “no” vote on the question and summarize
arguments for and against the amendment, but shall not present include
arguments submitted by either proponents or opponents of the proposal.
The Division of Legislative Services, in consultation with such agencies of state
government as may be appropriate, including the Office of Attorney General,
shall prepare an explanation for any such proposal which is approved by the
General Assembly on first reference and referred to the next regular session of
the General Assembly following the general election of members of the House of
Delegates. The explanation shall be approved for distribution as to form and
content by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections of the house of
introduction of the resolution proposing the amendment no later than the
reconvened session following approval of the legislation to submit the question
to the voters.
Any failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the constitutional amendment.