SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2008 SESSION
Chairman: Janet D. Howell
Clerk: Charles Shotton
Staff: Mary Spain, Jack Austin
Date of Meeting: January 22, 2008
Time and Place: 4:00 PM, Senate Room A
Patron: Whipple
Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); property exempt from taxation. Provides for a referendum at the November 2008 election on approval of a proposed constitutional amendment relating to property tax exemptions. The proposed amendment authorizes the General Assembly to enact legislation that will allow localities by ordinance to exempt or partially exempt from real property taxes, or defer real property taxes on, up to 20 percent of the value of residential or farm property that is the owner-occupant's primary dwelling and lived in continuously.
A BILL to provide for the submission to the voters of a proposed amendment to Section 6 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to property tax exemptions, including tax relief for certain homeowners.087606352
Patron: Northam
Real property tax exemptions and deferrals for certain residential or farm property. Authorizes local governing bodies to exempt, partially exempt, or defer the taxation of real property of up to 20 percent of the fair market value of real property that is residential or farm property designed for continuous habitation and occupied as the primary dwelling of the individual owners. The bill is contingent on a constitutional amendment authorizing the exemption.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 32 of Title 58.1 an article numbered 2.01, consisting of a section numbered 58.1-3218.1, relating to exemptions from and deferrals of local real estate taxes for certain residential or farm property designed for continuous habitation.087607352
Patron: Deeds
Bipartisan Redistricting Commission created. Establishes a five-member temporary commission to prepare redistricting plans in 2011 and each tenth year thereafter for the House of Delegates, state Senate, and congressional districts. Appointments to the commission shall be made one each by the four majority and minority party leaders of the House and Senate from a pool of 24 retired judges appointed by the Supreme Court. Those four appointees shall appoint the fifth member and chairman for the commission from the pool. The commission will prepare plans and submit them to the General Assembly. The General Assembly may accept or reject the first two plans submitted by the commission and may amend the third plan submitted by the commission. The bill spells out the standards and process to be followed by the Commission in preparing plans, including opportunities for public comment on the plans.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 1.1, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-301.2 through 24.2-301.4, relating to preparation of and standards for state legislative and congressional redistricting plans; establishment of the Bipartisan Redistricting Commission.087632220
Patron: Cuccinelli
Redistricting process. Provides a new method for the preparation of state legislative and congressional redistricting plans; spells out standards for developing plans including population equality, compactness, maintenance of cores of existing districts, and respect for locality boundaries; precludes consideration of incumbency and political data in developing plans; assigns responsibility to the Division of Legislative Services to prepare plans for submission to the General Assembly; and establishes a temporary redistricting advisory commission to advise the Division, disseminate information on plans, and hold hearings for public reaction to plans. This bill is patterned after the Iowa redistricting process.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 1.1, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-301.2 through 24.2-301.7, relating to preparation of and standards for state legislative and congressional redistricting plans; establishment of a temporary redistricting advisory commission.087649216
Patron: Howell
Virginia Redistricting Commission created. Establishes a seven-member commission to prepare redistricting plans in 2011 and each tenth year thereafter for the House of Delegates, state Senate, and congressional districts. Six appointments to the commission shall be made, one each, by the President pro tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Delegates, minority leaders of the Senate and House, and chairmen of the two major political parties. Those six appointees shall appoint the seventh member and chairman for the commission. The commission will prepare plans and submit them to the General Assembly. The General Assembly may accept or reject the first two plans submitted by the commission and may amend the third plan submitted by the commission. The bill spells out the standards and process to be followed by the commission in preparing plans, including opportunities for public comment on the plans.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 1.1, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-301.2 through 24.2-301.4, relating to preparation of and standards for state legislative and congressional redistricting plans; establishment of the Virginia Redistricting Commission.087654248
Patron: Cuccinelli
Transfer of state toll facilities. Requires prior approval by local referendum of any contract or agreement that would transfer control of a state toll facility to any non-Commonwealth public or private entity.
A BILL to require a local referendum prior to agreements or contracts transferring responsibility for toll facilities controlled by an agency or institution of the Commonwealth to a non-Commonwealth public or private entity.082246216
Patron: Stolle
Bipartisan Redistricting Commission created. Establishes a five-member temporary Commission to prepare redistricting plans in 2011 and each tenth year thereafter for the House of Delegates, state Senate, and congressional districts. Appointments to the Commission shall be made one each by the four majority and minority party leaders of the House and Senate from a pool of 24 retired judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Those four appointees shall appoint the fifth member and chairman for the Commission from the pool, or if they cannot agree, the Chief Justice, by lot, shall select the chairman from the pool. The Commission will prepare plans and submit them to the General Assembly. The General Assembly may accept, reject, or amend the plans submitted by the Commission or any member. The Commission shall make recommendations with respect to amendments to the Commission plan and to other plans and may submit additional plans. The bill spells out the standards and process to be followed by the Commission in preparing plans, including opportunities for public comment on the plans.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 1.1, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-301.2 through 24.2-301.4, relating to preparation of and standards for state legislative and congressional redistricting plans; establishment of the Bipartisan Redistricting Commission.087656328
Patron: Colgan
Elections; provisional ballot procedures. Corrects a reference in the Code concerning the handling of provisional ballots to clarify that the information provided by the persons casting provisional ballots will be entered in the precinct provisional ballots log rather than in the pollbook for the precinct.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-653 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; provisional ballot procedures.087662212
Patron: Howell
Freezing election precincts. Prohibits counties and cities from abolishing, creating, or changing precincts between February 1, 2009, and May 15, 2011, except in certain enumerated circumstances. Freezing of precincts for this period of time will allow the United States Bureau of the Census to provide 2010 population data by precinct for redistricting use in 2011.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-309.2, relating to prohibiting election precinct changes for specified period of time.085020854
Patron: Ruff
Elections; town election polling places and processes. Provides an exception to location limitations on town polling places for November town elections to require use of county precincts, modifies the process for including town offices on November ballots, and specifies how to ascertain and report the election results for towns located in more than one county.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-310 and 24.2-601 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; town election polling places and processes.087663320
Patron: Deeds
Constitutional amendment (first resolution); Virginia Redistricting Commission. Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission to redraw Congressional and General Assembly district boundaries after each decennial census. Appointments to the 13-member Commission are to be made in the census year as follows: two each by the President pro tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Delegates, minority leader in each house, and the state chairman of each of the two political parties receiving the most votes in the prior gubernatorial election. The 12 partisan members then select the 13th member by a majority vote, or, if they cannot agree on a selection, they certify the two names receiving the most votes to the Supreme Court, which will name the 13th member. The Commission is directed to certify district plans for the General Assembly within one month of receipt of the new census data or by March 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later, and for the House of Representatives within three months of receipt of the census data or by June 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later. The standards to govern redistricting plans include the current Constitution's standards on population equality, compactness, and contiguity and additional standards to minimize splits of localities and to prohibit consideration of incumbency and political data.
Proposing an amendment to Section 6 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to districts for the House of Representatives and General Assembly; criteria for redistricting; and the establishment of the Virginia Redistricting Commission.087714220
Patron: Whipple
Constitutional amendment (second resolution); property exempt from taxation. Authorizes the General Assembly to enact legislation that will allow localities by ordinance to exempt from real property taxes, or defer real property taxes on, up to 20 percent of the value of residential or farm property that is the owner- occupant's primary dwelling and lived in continuously.
Proposing an amendment to Section 6 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to property tax exemptions, including tax relief for certain homeowners.084307352
Patron: Reynolds
Constitutional amendment (first resolution); property tax exemption for certain veterans. Authorizes the General Assembly to exempt from taxation real property that is the principal residence of a veteran (or widow or widower of a veteran) if the veteran has been determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its successor agency pursuant to federal law to have a service-connected, permanent, and 100 percent total disability.
Proposing an amendment to Article X of the Constitution of Virginia by adding a section numbered 6-A, relating to a property tax exemption for certain veterans.087859316
Patron: Stuart
Constitutional amendment (first resolution). Authorizes localities to tax historical property on the basis of its use value.
Proposing an amendment to Section 2 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to land use taxation for historic properties.087729792
Patron: Miller, J.C.
Constitutional amendment (first resolution); Virginia Redistricting Commission. Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission to redraw Congressional and General Assembly district boundaries after each decennial census. Appointments to the five-member Commission are to be made in the census year from a list of 15 retired judges prepared by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as follows: one each by the Governor, President pro tempore of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Delegates and those three Commission members to appoint two additional members from the list. However, the last two appointments will be made by the minority party leaders of the Senate and House of Delegates if the Governor, President pro tempore, and Speaker are all members of the same party. The five members shall elect one of their number to serve as chairman. The Commission is directed to submit to the General Assembly district plans for the General Assembly within one month of receipt of the new census data or by March 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later, and for the House of Representatives within three months of receipt of the census data or by June 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later. The General Assembly may amend the Commission's plan by a two-thirds vote not to affect any district's population by more than two percent. The standards to govern redistricting plans include the current Constitution's standards on population equality, compactness, and contiguity and additional standards to minimize splits of localities and to prohibit consideration of incumbency and political data. If the General Assembly fails to pass the plan, the Supreme Court will devise the final plan.
Proposing an amendment to Section 6 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to districts for the House of Representatives and General Assembly; criteria for redistricting; and the establishment of the Virginia Redistricting Commission.080718275
Patron: Miller, J.C.
Constitutional amendment (first resolution); assessment of property for tax purposes. Provides that tax assessments made by any county, city, or town of real property used by its owners solely for single family residential purposes may, by ordinance adopted by the local governing body, be reduced on an annual basis in an amount up to the first $100,000 of the assessed value, provided that such property has been the primary residence of its owners for at least five years.
Proposing an amendment to Section 2 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to assessments of property for tax purposes.087653275
Patron: Hanger
Constitutional amendment (first resolution); property exempt from taxation. Directs the General Assembly to enact legislation that will permit localities to provide for a partial exemption from, or deferral of, local real property taxes on a taxpayer's primary residence and up to five acres of land associated with his residence.
Proposing an amendment to Section 6 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to property tax exemptions, including local exemptions from taxation for certain dwellings.082829232
Patron: Obenshain
Constitutional amendment (first resolution); taking of private property for public uses. Establishes limitations on takings of private property. Except for property taken for public service companies or railroads, property may not be taken if the primary purpose of the taking is private financial gain, private benefit, an increase in tax base or tax revenues, or an increase in employment. No more property shall be taken than is necessary to achieve the stated public use.
Proposing an amendment to Section 11 of Article I of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to due process, takings of private property, and other rights.084459288
Patron: Norment
Constitutional amendment (first resolution); Transportation Funds. Requires the General Assembly to maintain permanent and separate Transportation Funds to include the Commonwealth Transportation Fund, Transportation Trust Fund, Highway Maintenance and Operating Fund, and Priority Transportation Fund. All revenues dedicated to Transportation Funds on January 1, 2009, by general law, other than a general appropriation law, shall be deposited to the Transportation Funds, unless the General Assembly by general law, other than a general appropriation law, alters the revenues dedicated to the Funds. The amendment limits the use of Funds moneys to transportation and related purposes. The General Assembly may borrow from the Funds for other purposes only by a vote of two-thirds plus one of the members voting in each house, and the loan or reduction must be repaid with reasonable interest within the three years. The amendment also limits the use of general and other non-transportation funds for transportation purposes except for certain debt service payments and, additionally, in an amount not to exceed $80 million in any fiscal year.
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article X a section numbered 7-B, relating to funds for transportation purposes.086526284
Patron: Howell
Confirming Governor's appointments; agency heads and certain persons. Confirms appointments made by Governor Kaine of agency heads and other persons and communicated to the General Assembly December 3, 2007.
Confirming appointments by the Governor of certain agency heads and persons.087647814
Patron: Howell
Confirming Governor's appointments; an agency head and certain persons. Confirms appointments made by Governor Kaine of an agency head and other persons and communicated to the General Assembly August 1, 2007.
Confirming appointments by the Governor of an agency head and certain persons.087611814
Patron: Howell
Confirming Governor's appointments; agency heads and certain persons. Confirms appointments made by Governor Kaine of agency heads and other persons and communicated to the General Assembly October 1, 2007.
Confirming appointments by the Governor of certain agency heads and persons.087612814
Patron: Howell
Confirming Governor's appointments of Chief of Staff and to certain boards. Confirms appointments made by Governor Kaine of his Chief of Staff and to certain boards and communicated to the General Assembly June 1, 2007.
Confirming appointments by the Governor of his Chief of Staff and to certain boards.087610814
Patron: Howell
Confirming Governor's appointments; agency heads and certain persons. Confirms appointments made by Governor Kaine of agency heads and other persons and communicated to the General Assembly January 8, 2008.
Confirming appointments by the Governor of certain agency heads and persons.087661814