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- Subject Index: Since 1995
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2019 SESSION
Chairman: Jill Holtzman Vogel
Clerk: Hobie Lehman
Staff: Meg Lamb
Date of Meeting: January 29, 2019
Time and Place: 15 minutes after adjournment of the Senate / Senate Room 3
Patron: Spruill
Absentee voting; no-excuse absentee. Permits any registered voter to vote by absentee ballot in any election in which he is qualified to vote. The bill removes the current list of statutory reasons under which a person may be entitled to vote by absentee ballot and removes references to those reasons from other sections of the Code.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-416.1, 24.2-452, 24.2-612, 24.2-700, 24.2-701, 24.2-702.1, 24.2-703.1, 24.2-703.2, 24.2-706, 24.2-709, and 24.2-1004 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting; no-excuse absentee.19100137D
Patron: Locke
Absentee voting; no-excuse absentee. Permits any registered voter to vote by absentee ballot in any election in which he is qualified to vote. The bill removes the current list of statutory reasons under which a person may be entitled to vote by absentee ballot and removes references to those reasons from other sections of the Code.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-416.1, 24.2-452, 24.2-612, 24.2-700, 24.2-701, 24.2-702.1, 24.2-703.1, 24.2-703.2, 24.2-706, 24.2-709, and 24.2-1004 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting; no-excuse absentee.19100414D
Patron: Howell
Absentee voting; no-excuse in-person available 21 days prior to election. Allows for any registered voter to vote by absentee ballot in person beginning on the twenty-first day prior to any election in which he is qualified to vote without providing a reason or making prior application for an absentee ballot. The bill makes absentee voting in person available beginning on the forty-fifth day prior to the election and ending at 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday immediately preceding the election. The bill retains the current provisions for voting an absentee ballot by mail or in person prior to the twenty-first day before the election, including the application requirement and the list of statutory reasons for absentee voting.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-452, 24.2-612, 24.2-700, 24.2-701, 24.2-702.1, 24.2-703.1, 24.2-703.2, 24.2-706, 24.2-707, 24.2-709, and 24.2-1004 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-701.1, relating to absentee voting; no-excuse in-person available 21 days prior to elections.19100722D
Patron: Petersen
Campaign finance; prohibited contributions to candidates. Prohibits any candidate from soliciting or accepting a contribution from any public service corporation, as defined in § 56-1, or any political action committee established and administered by such a corporation.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-947.4:2, relating to campaign finance; prohibited contributions to candidates.19100547D
Patron: Petersen
Campaign contribution limits; civil penalty. Prohibits persons, other than political party committees, and political action committees from making any single contribution, or any combination of contributions, that exceeds $10,000 to any one candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, or the General Assembly in any one election cycle, of which no more than $5,000 may be contributed for the primary election or other nominating event for the office the candidate is seeking. Contributions made on or prior to the date of the primary election or nominating event shall be subject to the contribution limits for the primary election or other nominating event, unless designated by the contributor as a contribution for the general election. No limits are placed on contributions made by political party committees, the candidate, or the candidate's family to the candidate's campaign. Civil penalties for violations of the limits may equal up to two times the excess contribution amounts.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 3.1, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-948.5 through 24.2-948.10, and by adding in Article 8 of Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-953.6, relating to campaign finance; campaign contribution limits; civil penalty.19100550D
Patron: Dance
Absentee voting; no excuse required when voting in person. Provides that any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot in person in any election in which he is qualified to vote without providing a reason for being unable to vote in person on election day. The bill retains the statutory list of reasons allowing a voter to cast an absentee ballot by mail.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-700 and 24.2-701 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting; no excuse required when voting in person.19101559D
Patron: Lucas
Voting information for persons incarcerated in local correctional facilities. Provides that the Board of Corrections shall make, adopt, and promulgate rules and regulations regarding the provision of information on absentee voting to all persons confined in a local correctional facility who may be eligible to vote and information on the process of applying for a restoration of civil rights and of voting rights for those persons who have been convicted of a felony.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 53.1-5 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voting information for persons incarcerated in local correctional facilities.19101323D
Patron: Stuart
Elections; early voting. Allows any registered voter to vote early in any election in which he is qualified to vote without providing a reason or making prior application for an absentee ballot. The bill requires that early voting be available beginning the thirtieth day prior to any general election, the seventh day prior to any special election held on a date other than the date of a general election, and the seventh day prior to any primary election and ending at 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday immediately preceding the election. The bill further requires early voting to be available during regular business hours each weekday during the applicable period, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on each Saturday during the applicable period, and from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on each Sunday during the applicable period. The bill removes the current provisions for voting absentee in person but retains those provisions for voting an absentee ballot by mail, including the application requirement and the list of statutory reasons that allow a registered voter to vote absentee by mail.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-612, 24.2-700, 24.2-701, and 24.2-707 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-700.1, relating to early voting.19102772D
Patron: Reeves
Voter registration; protected voter; foster parents. Adds to the list of protected voters any person who has been approved to be a foster parent pursuant to law. Protected voters are permitted by law to provide on the application for voter registration, in addition to the voter's residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth, which would be the address included on (i) lists of registered voters and persons who voted, (ii) voter registration records made available for public inspection, and (iii) lists of absentee voter applicants.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-418 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter registration; protected voters; foster parents.19103143D
Patron: Reeves
Voter registration; absentee voting; prohibited changes to voter registration record. Prohibits changes to the registration record of a registered voter who has been sent or provided an absentee ballot from being processed until after the election for which he was sent or provided an absentee ballot. The prohibition applies to registration transactions by electronic means. The bill requires the Department of Elections to provide instructions to the general registrars for enrolling the name and address of voters to whom an absentee ballot is sent or provided into the Virginia voter registration system and for checking the registration record to determine whether a registered voter has been sent or provided an absentee ballot when receiving a request for a change to the registration record.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-416.7, 24.2-424, and 24.2-706 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter registration; absentee voting; prohibited changes to voter registration record.19103145D
Patron: Barker
Voter identification; expiration date of Virginia driver's license not considered. Provides that the expiration date on a Virginia driver's license offered for voting identification purposes shall not be considered when determining the validity of the license.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-643 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter identification; expiration date of Virginia driver's license not considered.19101554D
Patron: Locke
Voter identification; repeal of photo identification requirements. Removes the requirement that voters show a form of identification containing a photograph in order to be allowed to vote. The bill requires a voter to show either his voter registration confirmation documents; his valid Virginia driver's license, his valid United States passport, or any other identification issued by the Commonwealth, one of its political subdivisions, or the United States; any valid student identification card issued by any institution of higher education located in the Commonwealth or any private school located in the Commonwealth; any valid employee identification card containing a photograph of the voter and issued by an employer of the voter in the ordinary course of the employer's business; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. The bill adds language regarding requirements for certain voters pursuant to the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-404, 24.2-411.1, 24.2-643, and 24.2-701 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter identification; repeal of photo identification requirements.19102231D
Patron: Ebbin
Campaign contribution limits; civil penalty. Prohibits a person, other than a political party committee or political action committee, from making any single contribution, or any combination of contributions, that exceeds $2,500 to any one candidate for the General Assembly or $5,000 to any one candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General in any single calendar year. Political action committees are prohibited from making any single contribution or any combination of contributions that exceeds $5,000 to any one candidate for the General Assembly or $10,000 to any one candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General in any single calendar year. No limits are placed on contributions made by political party committees, the candidate, or the candidate's family to the candidate's campaign. Civil penalties for violations of the limits may equal up to two times the excess contribution amounts.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 3.1, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-948.5 through 24.2-948.10, and by adding in Article 8 of Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-953.6, relating to campaign finance; campaign contribution limits; civil penalty.19100577D
Patron: Surovell
Absentee voting; alternative locations for in-person absentee voting. Provides that the alternative locations approved by the electoral boards for absentee voting in person prior to election day shall be in a public facility owned or leased by the city, the county, or a town within the county, at which all records concerning the absentee voters, the absentee ballots, both voted and unvoted, and any voting equipment in use at the location are adequately protected and secured. Currently, the law limits the electoral boards to approving alternative locations only in public buildings.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-707 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting; alternative locations for in-person absentee voting.19100858D
Patron: Lewis
State Board of Elections; regulations for reviewing and processing candidate petitions. Directs the State Board of Elections to revise its regulations for reviewing and processing candidate petitions. The regulations are required to include standards and methods for checking signatures on candidate petitions and comparing information contained in candidate petitions. The bill requires the State Board to promulgate these regulations on or before January 1, 2020.
A BILL to direct the State Board of Elections to revise its regulations for reviewing and processing candidate petitions.19103149D
Patron: Lewis
Electronic voter registration; application by electronic means; U.S. Department of Defense-issued identification. Provides that, pursuant to an agreement between the Department of Elections and the U.S. Department of Defense, applicants registering to vote by electronic means may do so using a Department of Defense-issued identification card.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-423 and 24.2-424 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 3.2 of Chapter 4 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-416.8, relating to electronic voter registration; application by electronic means; U.S. Department of Defense-issued identification.19103059D
Patron: Spruill
Absentee voting; prohibiting release of absentee voter applicant list. Prohibits the release of the list of persons applying for an absentee ballot. Currently, the absentee voter applicant list is available to registered voters for inspection and copying, and political parties and candidates may request and, for a reasonable fee, are provided an electronic copy of the list.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-418, 24.2-706, and 24.2-710 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting; prohibiting release of absentee voter applicant list.19103524D
Patron: Locke
Absentee voting; no-excuse absentee. Permits any registered voter to vote by absentee ballot in any election in which he is qualified to vote. The bill removes the current list of statutory reasons under which a person may be entitled to vote by absentee ballot and removes references to those reasons from other sections of the Code.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-416.1, 24.2-452, 24.2-612, 24.2-700, 24.2-701, 24.2-702.1, 24.2-703.1, 24.2-703.2, 24.2-706, 24.2-709, and 24.2-1004 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting; no-excuse absentee.19102230D
Patron: Ebbin
Elections for members of a county board of supervisors or city council; ranked choice voting. Provides that elections of members of a county board of supervisors or a city council may be conducted by ranked choice voting, which the bill describes as the method of casting and tabulating votes in which (i) voters rank candidates in order of preference, (ii) tabulation proceeds in rounds in each of which either a candidate or candidates are elected or the last-place candidate is defeated, and (iii) tabulation ends when the number of candidates elected equals the number of offices to be filled. The bill provides that any costs incurred by the Department of Elections related to technological changes necessary for the implementation of ranked-choice voting pursuant to the bill shall be charged to the localities exercising the option to proceed with ranked-choice voting. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2020.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-673.1, relating to elections for certain offices; ranked choice voting.19104891D
Patron: Obenshain
Contests of certain elections; location of proceeding to contest. Clarifies that a proceeding to contest (i) a primary election for the United States House of Representatives, the Virginia Senate, the House of Delegates, or any county, city, town, or district office or (ii) an election to any county, city, town, or district office shall be in the circuit court of the county or city that the challenged candidate listed as his residency on his certificate of candidate qualification. Currently, the law provides that such proceeding be in the county or city in which the challenged candidate resides.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-806 of the Code of Virginia, relating to contests of certain elections; location of proceeding to contest.19104092D