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2016 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections

Chairman: Jill Holtzman Vogel

Clerk: Hobie Lehman
Staff: Meg Burruss
Date of Meeting: February 2, 2016
Time and Place: Tuesday, 4:00 pm Senate Room A

S.B. 303

Patron: Ebbin

State Board of Elections; meetings to hear complaints. Requires the State Board of Elections to meet on the Tuesday immediately preceding any election to hear and consider action on any complaints received by the Department of Elections. The bill also authorizes the State Board to conduct a subsequent meeting, upon the call of the chair or the call of two members, to hear any new complaints. Such meeting shall be held no later than the Friday immediately preceding the election and notice shall be posted on the official website of the Department of Elections no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting. The State Board may refer any complaint to the Attorney General for investigation and prosecution.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-103 of the Code of Virginia, relating to duties of the State Board of Elections; meetings to hear complaints.

16102244D

S.B. 439

Patron: Obenshain

Voter identification; photograph and identifying information contained in electronic pollbook; challenge of voter. Requires electronic pollbooks to contain a photograph and identifying information received by the Department of Elections from the Department of Motor Vehicles for each registered voter for whom the Department of Motor Vehicles has such a photograph and identifying information. The bill prohibits lists of voters furnished pursuant to current law from containing any voter's photograph or identifying physical information. The bill also provides that if the electronic pollbook contains the voter's photograph and identifying information, the officer of election is required to access that photograph and identifying information and the voter is not required to present one of the statutorily required forms of identification. However, the bill requires the officer of election to challenge the voter's vote if the voter does not appear to be the same person depicted in the photograph or in the pollbook. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2017.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-404, 24.2-405, 24.2-406, 24.2-444, 24.2-611, 24.2-643, 24.2-651, and 46.2-208.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter identification; photograph and identifying information contained in electronic pollbook; challenge to voter.

16101744D

S.B. 490

Patron: DeSteph

Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act; applying for and casting military-overseas ballots. Provides that any active duty member of a uniformed service who has been called to duty for deployment to a combat zone shall be permitted to use his digital signature associated with his Common Access Card issued by the U.S. Department of Defense to sign his application for a military-overseas ballot, the statement of voter accompanying his cast military-overseas ballot, and any other related documents. The bill also requires the system through which a covered voter may apply for and receive voter registration materials, military-overseas ballots, and other information to be capable of accepting the submission of voted military-overseas ballots cast by active duty member of a uniformed service who has been called to duty for deployment to a combat zone.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-455 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-458.1, relating to the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act; applying for and casting military-overseas ballots.

16103934D

S.B. 574

Patron: McEachin

Officers of election; required training. Requires all officers of election to receive training every two years and whenever a change is made to the election laws or regulations that alters the duties and conduct of the officers. The State Board of Elections is required to develop standardized training programs and provide standardized training materials for use by the electoral boards and general registrars in conducting the training for the officers of election. The bill requires that such materials be reviewed every two years in the year immediately following a general election for federal office. The bill also requires the electoral boards to certify to the State Board that the officers of election have received the required training and that such information be made available on the Department of Elections website.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-103 and 24.2-115 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-115.2, relating to officers of election; required training.

16101969D

S.B. 588

Patrons: Suetterlein, Obenshain

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); charter schools. Provides for a referendum at the November 8, 2016, election to approve or reject an amendment to grant the Board of Education the authority to establish charter schools within the school divisions of the Commonwealth, subject to any criteria or conditions that the General Assembly may prescribe.

A BILL to provide for the submission to the voters of a proposed amendment to Section 5 of Article VIII of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to the establishment of charter schools.

16100905D

S.B. 650

Patron: Cosgrove

Voter registration by political party affiliation; primary elections. Adds party affiliation, beginning January 1, 2017, to the information that an applicant is asked to provide when registering to vote. The applicant may indicate that he is an independent. Voters registered prior to January 1, 2017, will be designated as independent unless they provide a political party designation in writing to the general registrar. Voters may change their party affiliation or independent status by written notice at any time before the registration records are closed prior to an election. The state party chairman of each political party must notify the State Board of Elections by January 31 of each year of the rules adopted by the duly constituted authorities of the state political party governing who may participate in the party's primaries held from April 1 of that year through March 31 of the following year.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-530 and 24.2-535 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 24.2-418.01, 24.2-423.1, and 24.2-516.1, relating to voter registration by political party affiliation; primary elections.

16103319D

S.B. 672

Patron: Lewis

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. The General Assembly may reject the Division's plans and may ultimately amend the 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.

16104152D

S.B. 686

Patron: Petersen

Presidential primary; voter pledge prohibited; emergency. Prohibits a political party holding a presidential primary from requiring voters to sign any pledge when offering to vote in that primary. Current law allows the political party to determine the requirements for participation in its primary, including the requirement that a voter sign a pledge of his intention to support the party's candidate. The bill contains an emergency clause.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-545 of the Code of Virginia, relating to presidential primary; voter pledge prohibited; emergency.

16104183D

EMERGENCY

S.B. 723

Patron: Chase

Campaign finance; contributions from out-of-state sources prohibited. Prohibits any candidate for the General Assembly or his campaign committee from soliciting or accepting a contribution from any person, corporation, campaign committee, political committee, out-of-state political committee, or federal political action committee who resides or whose headquarters is located outside of the Commonwealth. This prohibition applies regardless of whether the entity has registered with the State Board of Elections or operates or does business in the Commonwealth.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-947.3:2, relating to campaign finance; contributions from out-of-state sources prohibited.

16104268D

S.B. 766

Patron: Suetterlein

Method of nominating party candidates; incumbent selection. Removes the power of incumbent officeholders in some cases to insist on a primary as the method of nominating political party candidates and removes the power of General Assembly incumbents seeking reelection to determine the method of nomination. The bill does not affect the current power of duly constituted authorities of the political party to determine the method of nominating party candidates.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-509 and 24.2-516 of the Code of Virginia, relating to method of nominating party candidates; incumbent selection.

16102599D

S.B. 767

Patron: Suetterlein

Form of ballot; party identification of candidates. Provides that any candidate nominated by a political party or at a primary election shall be identified on the ballot by the name of his political party. Currently, only candidates for federal, statewide, and General Assembly offices are so identified.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-613 of the Code of Virginia, relating to form of ballot; party identification of candidates.

16103756D

S.B. 770

Patron: Suetterlein

Compactness standard for congressional and state legislative districts. Requires congressional and legislative districts to be composed of compact territory, meaning districts are not to be oddly shaped or have irregular or contorted boundaries, unless justified because the district adheres to political subdivision lines. Fingers or tendrils extending from a district core are to be avoided, in addition to thin and elongated districts and districts with multiple core populations connected by thin strips of land or water. The General Assembly is required to employ one or more standard numerical measures of individual and average district compactness to provide an objective assessment of a districting plan's compactness, both statewide and district by district.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-304.04, relating to compactness standard for congressional and state legislative districts.

16104344D

S.B. 772

Patron: Ebbin

Officers of elections; State Board to provide training online. Requires the State Board of Elections to provide on the Department of Elections website a training course for officers of election and requires the electoral boards to ensure that each officer of election has completed the online training course not less than three days before each November general election. The electoral boards are still responsible for training chief and assistant chief officers of election and certifying to the State Board that such training has been conducted.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-103 and 24.2-115 of the Code of Virginia, relating to officers of elections; State Board to provide training online.

16102227D

S.J.R. 6

Patron: Obenshain

Constitutional amendment (second resolution); charter schools. Grants the Board of Education authority, subject to criteria and conditions prescribed by the General Assembly, to establish charter schools within the school divisions of the Commonwealth.

Proposing an amendment to Section 5 of Article VIII of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to the establishment of charter schools.

16100904D

S.J.R. 90

Patron: Vogel

Confirming Governor's appointments of certain persons. Confirms appointments of certain persons made by Governor McAuliffe after August 1, 2015, and communicated to the General Assembly on October 1, 2015.

Confirming appointments by the Governor of certain persons communicated October 1, 2015.

16100423D

S.J.R. 91

Patron: Vogel

Confirming Governor's appointments of certain persons. Confirms appointments of certain persons originally made by Governor McAuliffe between February 11, 2015, and July 31, 2015, reappointed on September 17, 2015, and communicated to the General Assembly on October 1, 2015.

Confirming appointments by the Governor of certain persons communicated October 1, 2015.

16100424D

S.J.R. 92

Patron: Vogel

Confirming Governor's appointments of certain persons. Confirms appointments of certain persons made by Governor McAuliffe between October 1, 2015, and November 30, 2015, and communicated to the General Assembly on December 1, 2015.

Confirming appointments by the Governor of certain persons communicated December 1, 2015.

16101953D

S.J.R. 93

Patrons: Suetterlein, Obenshain

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); charter schools. Provides by resolution for a referendum at the November 8, 2016, election to approve or reject an amendment to grant the Board of Education the authority to establish charter schools within the school divisions of the Commonwealth, subject to any criteria or conditions that the General Assembly may prescribe.

Submitting to the voters a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Virginia in conformity with the provisions of Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia.

16101757D

S.J.R. 113

Patron: Chase

Constitutional amendment (first resolution); General Assembly; term limits. Limits members of the Senate to three full terms (12 years) and members of the House of Delegates to six full terms (12 years). The limitations apply to service for both consecutive and nonconsecutive terms. Service for a partial term does not preclude serving the allowed number of full terms. In addition to any partial term, a person may serve 12 years in each house, or a total of 24 years in the General Assembly. The limits apply to terms of service beginning on and after the start of the 2020 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Proposing an amendment to Section 4 of Article IV of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to qualifications for members of the General Assembly; terms of office.

16104265D

S.J.R. 119

Patron: Hanger

Constitutional amendment (first resolution); Virginia Redistricting Commission. Establishes the seven-member Virginia Redistricting Commission to redraw congressional and General Assembly district boundaries after each decennial census. The Commission is directed to certify district plans for the General Assembly within 30 days of receipt of the new census data or by June 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later, and for the House of Representatives within 60 days of receipt of the census data or by July 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later. The amendment also establishes the standards to govern redistricting plans, which include the current constitutional 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 apportionment; criteria for legislative and congressional districts; Virginia Redistricting Commission.

16104319D

S.J.R. 120

Patron: Chase

Constitutional amendment (first resolution); qualifications of Governor; residency requirement. Increases from five to eight the number of years a person must have been a resident of and a registered voter in the Commonwealth in order to be eligible to the office of Governor.

Proposing an amendment to Section 3 of Article V of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to qualifications of governor; residency requirement.

16104263D

S.J.R. 127

Patron: Obenshain

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); right to work.

Submitting to the voters a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Virginia in conformity with the provisions of Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia.

16104656D

S.J.R. 136

Patron: Vogel

Confirming Governor's appointments of certain persons. Confirms appointments of certain persons made by Governor McAuliffe after December 1, 2015, and communicated to the General Assembly on January 7, 2016.

Confirming appointments by the Governor of certain persons communicated January 7, 2016.

16103860D