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ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2020 SESSION
Chair: R. Creigh Deeds
Clerk: H. Lehman, C. Dent, A. Green
Staff: Meg Lamb
Date of Meeting: February 4, 2020
Time and Place: 45 minutes after Senate Adjourns / Senate Room 3, The Capitol
Patron: Suetterlein
Standards and criteria for congressional and state legislative districts. Provides criteria by which congressional and state legislative districts are to be drawn, including equal population, racial and ethnic fairness, respect for existing political boundaries, contiguity, compactness, and communities of interest.
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 standards and criteria for congressional and state legislative districts.20100803D
Patron: Deeds
Election day voter registration; pilot program. Requires the State Board of Elections to develop a pilot program for election day voter registration, by which a person who (i) offers to vote on election day but is not a registered voter, (ii) provides one of the allowable forms of identification specified by law, and (iii) provides proof of his residency, in a form specified by the State Board for this purpose, in the precinct in which he offers to vote, shall be permitted to register to vote and to cast a ballot. The bill provides a process by which the validity of such votes is determined. The bill requires participating localities to provide information on the implementation of the pilot program in its locality to the State Board by December 1 of each year in which it participates. The bill requires the State Board to submit a report on the pilot program to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections, including a recommendation as to whether there should be statewide election day voter registration. The bill has an expiration date of December 31, 2022.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 4 of Chapter 4 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-425.1, relating to election day voter registration; pilot program.20100903D
Impact Statements
Patron: Chase
Form of ballot; party identification of certain candidates; constitutional offices. Provides that any candidate for a constitutional office who has been nominated by a political party or in 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 nominated by a political party or in a primary election are so identified.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-613 of the Code of Virginia, relating to form of ballot; party identification for certain candidates; constitutional offices.20102423D
Impact Statements
Patron: Saslaw
Campaign finance; disbursement of surplus funds; prohibited conversion to personal use. Amends the current laws regarding the disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee so that such restrictions would apply throughout the life of a campaign or political committee. Such restrictions include the prohibition against the conversion of any money, securities, or like intangible personal property that has been contributed to a campaign or political committee to the personal use of any person.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-948.4, 24.2-949.9, 24.2-950.9, 24.2-951.9, and 24.2-952.7 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-948.5, by adding in Article 4 of Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-949.9:01, by adding in Article 5 of Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-950.10, by adding in Article 6 of Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-951.10, and by adding in Article 7 of Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-952.8, relating to campaign finance; disbursement of surplus funds; prohibited conversion to personal use.20100595D
Impact Statements
Patron: Chase
Congressional and state legislative districts. Provides criteria for the General Assembly to observe in drawing districts, including respect for political boundaries, equal population, racial and ethnic fairness, contiguity, compactness, and communities of interest. The bill prohibits use of political data or election results unless necessary to determine if racial or ethnic minorities can elect candidates of their choice.
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 standards and criteria for congressional and state legislative districts.20102420D
Patron: Lucas
Redistricting; Virginia Redistricting Commission. Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission (the Commission) pursuant to Article II, Sections 6 and 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia. The Commission, tasked with establishing districts for the United States House of Representatives and for the Senate and the House of Delegates of the General Assembly, will consist of eight legislative commissioners and eight citizen commissioners. The legislative commissioners consist of four members of the Senate of Virginia and four members of the House of Delegates, with equal representation given to the political parties having the highest and next highest number of members in their respective houses. The citizen commissioners are chosen by a selection committee consisting of five retired judges of the circuit courts of Virginia, from lists submitted to the selection committee by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the leader in the House of Delegates of the political party having the next highest number of members in the House of Delegates, the President pro tempore of the Senate of Virginia, and the leader in the Senate of the political party having the next highest number of members in the Senate. The bill contains eligibility requirements for the citizen commissioners, including restrictions on holding or having held partisan national or state public office. As part of the application process for service on the Commission, the Division of Legislative Services acts as a repository for applications submitted by interested persons and is tasked with screening out applicants who are ineligible or submit incomplete applications. The applications of the citizen candidates selected by political leadership and submitted for consideration to the selection committee are public records.
The bill also directs the Division of Legislative Services to provide staff support to the Commission in the redistricting of congressional and state legislative districts. The Commission is required to submit to the General Assembly plans of districts within certain time periods, and the bill sets out criteria by which the districts are to be drawn, including equal population, contiguity, compactness, racial and ethnic fairness, respect for existing political boundaries, and respect for existing communities of interest. The bill prohibits districts from being drawn for the purpose of favoring or disfavoring any political party, incumbent legislator or member of Congress, or other individual or entity. Provisions to ensure public participation in the redistricting process are included. If efforts to establish districts fail, the Supreme Court of Virginia is responsible for establishing districts, and the bill directs the Court to enact a rule by March 1, 2021, establishing a procedure for implementing this requirement.
The bill has a contingent effective date of November 15, 2020, provided that the voters approve the amendments to Article II of the Constitution of Virginia, amending Section 6 and adding Section 6-A, at the November 2020 general election.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-306, 24.2-309.2, 30-263, 30-264, and 30-265 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 30 a chapter numbered 60, consisting of sections numbered 30-376 through 30-386, relating to redistricting; Virginia Redistricting Commission.20102515D
Impact Statements
Patron: Lucas
Redistricting; role of Supreme Court of Virginia. Directs the Supreme Court of Virginia to enact rules and procedures for implementing the constitutional requirement that the Court establish congressional or state legislative districts in the event districts fail to be enacted. The rules and procedures enacted by the Court are required to allow public participation in the Court's redistricting deliberations, to provide for the Division of Legislative Services to provide staff support and technical assistance to the Court, and to ensure districts established by the Court adhere to constitutional and statutory criteria. The bill directs the Court to appoint a special master to assist in the establishment of districts and authorizes the Court to adjust the date of the primary election and various related deadlines as may be necessary to allow for the establishment of districts. The bill has a contingent effective date of November 15, 2020, provided that the voters approve the amendments to Article II of the Constitution of Virginia, amending Section 6 and adding Section 6-A, at the November 2020 general election.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 8.01-3 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 5, consisting of a section numbered 24.2-314, relating to redistricting; role of Supreme Court of Virginia.20101143D
Patron: Barker
Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2020, election to approve or reject amendments to the Constitution of Virginia establishing the Virginia Redistricting Commission and providing for the reapportionment of the Commonwealth to be done by such Commission. If approved by the voters, the amendments would become effective on November 15, 2020.
A BILL to provide for the submission to the voters of a proposed amendment to Section 6 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia and a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article II a section numbered 6-A, relating to apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission.20101035D
Impact Statements
Patron: Barker
Standards and criteria for congressional and state legislative districts. Provides criteria by which congressional and state legislative districts are to be drawn, including equal population, racial and ethnic fairness, protection of racial and language minorities to participate and elect a preferred candidate, contiguity, and compactness.
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 standards and criteria for congressional and state legislative districts.20104257D
Patron: Cosgrove
Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2020, election to approve or reject amendments to the Constitution of Virginia establishing the Virginia Redistricting Commission and providing for the reapportionment of the Commonwealth to be done by such Commission. If approved by the voters, the amendments would become effective on November 15, 2020.
A BILL to provide for the submission to the voters of a proposed amendment to Section 6 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia and a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article II a section numbered 6-A, relating to apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission.20101800D
Impact Statements
Patron: Edwards
Redistricting; population data; reallocation of prison populations. Provides for the preparation of adjusted population data for redistricting and reapportionment purposes to reflect the reallocation of persons incarcerated in federal, state, and local correctional facilities. The bill provides that a person incarcerated in a correctional facility whose legal residence prior to entering custody was located within the Commonwealth will be deemed to reside at such residence, and a person incarcerated in a correctional facility whose legal residence prior to entering custody was located outside of the Commonwealth or whose legal residence prior to entering custody cannot be determined will not be included in the population count for the locality in which the facility is located; instead, such persons shall be allocated to a state unit not tied to a specific determined geographic location in the same manner as other state residents with an unknown address are allocated. Under the current residence criteria of the U.S. Bureau of the Census, incarcerated persons are counted at the facility in which they are incarcerated. The bill directs the Division of Legislative Services to prepare the adjusted population data, and the General Assembly and local governing bodies are required to use this data as the basis for reapportioning and drawing new districts. The Director of the Department of Corrections and the Board of Corrections are required to provide to the Division certain information about each person incarcerated who was incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility on the day the decennial census is taken, April 1 of a year ending in zero, for these purposes. The Division is directed to request such information from each agency operating a federal correctional facility in the Commonwealth, and persons incarcerated in a federal correctional facility for whom a record is not received shall be deemed to have a legal residence prior to entering custody that cannot be determined.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-304.1, 30-265, and 53.1-10 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 5, consisting of a section numbered 24.2-314, and by adding a section numbered 53.1-5.2, relating to redistricting; population data; reallocation of prison populations.20102409D
Impact Statements
Patron: McClellan
Standards and criteria for congressional and state legislative districts. Provides criteria by which congressional and state legislative districts are to be drawn, including compactness and contiguity, racial and ethnic fairness, protection of the rights of racial and language minorities to participate and elect a preferred candidate, and consideration of existing political boundaries and communities of interest. The bill requires the most recent decennial population figures reported by the United States Bureau of the Census to be used in drawing districts, except that incarcerated persons are to be counted at their last known legal residence. The bill prohibits the use of political data when drawing districts.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-304.1 and 30-265 of the Code of Virginia and 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 congressional and state legislative districts; standards and criteria.20103882D
Patron: Hanger
Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2020, election to approve or reject amendments to the Constitution of Virginia establishing the Virginia Redistricting Commission and providing for the reapportionment of the Commonwealth to be done by such Commission. If approved by the voters, the amendments would become effective on November 15, 2020.
A BILL to provide for the submission to the voters of a proposed amendment to Section 6 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia and a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article II a section numbered 6-A, relating to apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission.20104334D
Impact Statements
Patron: Hanger
Redistricting; Virginia Redistricting Commission. Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission (the Commission) pursuant to Article II, Sections 6 and 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia. The Commission, tasked with establishing districts for the United States House of Representatives and for the Senate and the House of Delegates of the General Assembly, will consist of eight legislative commissioners and eight citizen commissioners. The legislative commissioners consist of four members of the Senate of Virginia and four members of the House of Delegates, with equal representation given to the political parties having the highest and next highest number of members in their respective houses. The citizen commissioners are chosen by a selection committee consisting of five retired judges of the circuit courts of Virginia, from lists submitted to the selection committee by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the leader in the House of Delegates of the political party having the next highest number of members in the House of Delegates, the President pro tempore of the Senate of Virginia, and the leader in the Senate of the political party having the next highest number of members in the Senate. The bill contains eligibility requirements for the citizen commissioners, including restrictions on holding or having held partisan national or state public office. As part of the application process for service on the Commission, the Division of Legislative Services acts as a repository for applications submitted by interested persons and is tasked with screening out applicants who are ineligible or submit incomplete applications. The applications of the citizen candidates selected by political leadership and submitted for consideration to the selection committee are public records.
The bill also directs the Division of Legislative Services to provide staff support to the Commission in the redistricting of congressional and state legislative districts. The Commission is required to submit to the General Assembly plans of districts within certain time periods, and the bill sets out criteria by which the districts are to be drawn, including equal population, contiguity, compactness, racial and ethnic fairness, respect for existing political boundaries, and respect for existing communities of interest. The bill prohibits districts from being drawn for the purpose of favoring or disfavoring any political party, incumbent legislator or member of Congress, or other individual or entity. Provisions to ensure public participation in the redistricting process are included.
If efforts to establish districts fail, the Supreme Court of Virginia is responsible for establishing districts, and the bill directs the Court to enact rules and procedures for doing so. The rules and procedures enacted by the Court are required to allow public participation in the Court's redistricting deliberations, to provide for the Division of Legislative Services to provide staff support and technical assistance to the Court, and to ensure districts established by the Court adhere to constitutional and statutory criteria. The bill directs the Court to appoint a special master to assist in the establishment of districts and authorizes the Court to adjust the date of the primary election and various related deadlines as may be necessary to allow for the establishment of districts.
The bill has a contingent effective date of November 15, 2020, provided that the voters approve the amendments to Article II of the Constitution of Virginia, amending Section 6 and adding Section 6-A, at the November 2020 general election.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 8.01-3, 24.2-306, 24.2-309.2, 30-263, 30-264, and 30-265 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 30 a chapter numbered 60, consisting of sections numbered 30-376 through 30-386, relating to redistricting; Virginia Redistricting Commission.20104335D
Impact Statements
Patron: Cosgrove
Constitutional amendment (second resolution); apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission. Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission, a 16-member Commission tasked with establishing districts for the United States House of Representatives and for the Senate and the House of Delegates of the General Assembly. The Commission consists of eight legislative members and eight citizen members. The legislative members consist of four members of the Senate of Virginia and four members of the House of Delegates, with equal representation given to the political parties having the highest and next highest number of members in their respective houses. The citizen members are selected by a selection committee consisting of five retired judges of the circuit courts of Virginia, from lists submitted to the selection committee by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the leader in the House of Delegates of the political party having the next highest number of members in the House of Delegates, the President pro tempore of the Senate of Virginia, and the leader in the Senate of the political party having the next highest number of members in the Senate. The Commission is required to submit to the General Assembly plans of districts for the Senate and the House of Delegates of the General Assembly no later than 45 days following the receipt of census data and plans of districts for the United States House of Representatives no later than 60 days following the receipt of census data, or July 1 of that year, whichever occurs later. The measure requires certain vote thresholds for plans, depending on the type of district, in order to be submitted to the General Assembly. No amendments may be made to a plan by the General Assembly, and any plan approved by the General Assembly becomes law without the signature of the Governor. The measure requires additional plans to be submitted, or additional time to be given to submit a plan, in certain circumstances, and further provides that districts will be drawn by the Supreme Court of Virginia if such efforts fail.
Proposing an amendment to Section 6 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia and proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article II a section numbered 6-A, relating to apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission.20101797D
Patron: Barker
Constitutional amendment (second resolution); apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission. Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission, a 16-member Commission tasked with establishing districts for the United States House of Representatives and for the Senate and the House of Delegates of the General Assembly. The Commission consists of eight legislative members and eight citizen members. The legislative members consist of four members of the Senate of Virginia and four members of the House of Delegates, with equal representation given to the political parties having the highest and next highest number of members in their respective houses. The citizen members are selected by a selection committee consisting of five retired judges of the circuit courts of Virginia, from lists submitted to the selection committee by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the leader in the House of Delegates of the political party having the next highest number of members in the House of Delegates, the President pro tempore of the Senate of Virginia, and the leader in the Senate of the political party having the next highest number of members in the Senate. The Commission is required to submit to the General Assembly plans of districts for the Senate and the House of Delegates of the General Assembly no later than 45 days following the receipt of census data and plans of districts for the United States House of Representatives no later than 60 days following the receipt of census data, or July 1 of that year, whichever occurs later. The measure requires certain vote thresholds for plans, depending on the type of district, in order to be submitted to the General Assembly. No amendments may be made to a plan by the General Assembly, and any plan approved by the General Assembly becomes law without the signature of the Governor. The measure requires additional plans to be submitted, or additional time to be given to submit a plan, in certain circumstances, and further provides that districts will be drawn by the Supreme Court of Virginia if such efforts fail.
Proposing an amendment to Section 6 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia and proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article II a section numbered 6-A, relating to apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission.20101031D
Patron: Hanger
Constitutional amendment (second resolution); apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission. Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission, a 16-member Commission tasked with establishing districts for the United States House of Representatives and for the Senate and the House of Delegates of the General Assembly. The Commission consists of eight legislative members and eight citizen members. The legislative members consist of four members of the Senate of Virginia and four members of the House of Delegates, with equal representation given to the political parties having the highest and next highest number of members in their respective houses. The citizen members are selected by a selection committee consisting of five retired judges of the circuit courts of Virginia, from lists submitted to the selection committee by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the leader in the House of Delegates of the political party having the next highest number of members in the House of Delegates, the President pro tempore of the Senate of Virginia, and the leader in the Senate of the political party having the next highest number of members in the Senate. The Commission is required to submit to the General Assembly plans of districts for the Senate and the House of Delegates of the General Assembly no later than 45 days following the receipt of census data and plans of districts for the United States House of Representatives no later than 60 days following the receipt of census data, or July 1 of that year, whichever occurs later. The measure requires certain vote thresholds for plans, depending on the type of district, in order to be submitted to the General Assembly. No amendments may be made to a plan by the General Assembly, and any plan approved by the General Assembly becomes law without the signature of the Governor. The measure requires additional plans to be submitted, or additional time to be given to submit a plan, in certain circumstances, and further provides that districts will be drawn by the Supreme Court of Virginia if such efforts fail.
Proposing an amendment to Section 6 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia and proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article II a section numbered 6-A, relating to apportionment; Virginia Redistricting Commission.20104333D