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2001 SESSION
Be 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 Elections shall 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 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 Committee on Privileges
and Elections of the first house of introduction of the resolution proposing
the amendment as soon as practicable after enactment of the ballot question.
Any failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the constitutional amendment.