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2024 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections

Chair: Aaron R. Rouse

Clerk: Hobie Lehman, Madison Odallo
Staff: Brooks Braun
Date of Meeting: February 20, 2024
Time and Place: 15 minutes after Senate Adjourns / Senate Room B, 3rd Floor GAB
Added HBs: 55,90,126,322,324,326,730,742,904,989,998,1330,1534

H.B. 26

Patron: Reid

Voter identification; accepted forms of identification; private entities licensed or certified by certain state agencies. Adds to the list of accepted forms of identification for purposes of voting a valid identification card that contains a photograph of the voter and is issued by any private entity that is licensed or certified, in whole or in part, by the Department of Health, Department of Social Services, Department of Medical Assistance Services, or Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-643 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter identification; accepted forms of identification; private entities licensed or certified by certain state agencies.

24100205D

H.B. 55

Patron: Wright

Primary elections; candidates for nomination; withdrawal of candidacy resulting in unopposed primary; primary cancellation and nomination procedure. Provides that if a person who is a candidate for nomination by a political party at a primary election and who appears on the ballot for such election withdraws his candidacy on or after the forty-fourth day before but prior to the Tuesday immediately preceding the primary election, and the result of such withdrawal is one remaining candidate who is now unopposed, the remaining candidate will be declared the party's nominee for the office sought and the primary election will be canceled. The bill requires the notice of withdrawal to be signed and notarized and to be submitted to the general registrar, who then transmits it to the local electoral board and the State Board of Elections, along with a certification that the remaining candidate is now unopposed for nomination. The State Board is required to declare the remaining candidate to be the nominee within one calendar day of receiving such notice, and the local electoral board is then required to petition the circuit court for the cancellation of the primary election. Finally, the bill directs the State Board to prescribe procedures for canceling a primary election, including instructions for locking and securing voting systems, disposition of marked and unmarked absentee ballots, and voter notification. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-612.2 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 4 of Chapter 5 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-538.1, relating to primary elections; candidates for nomination; withdrawal of candidacy resulting in unopposed primary; primary cancellation and nomination procedure.

24100058D

H.B. 69

Patron: Bulova

Vacancies in elected local offices; interim appointments; notice requirement. Requires the local governing body or elected school board making an interim appointment to fill a vacancy in the membership of such body or board to hold a public meeting at least seven days prior to making such appointment. The bill specifies that at such meeting, the body or board shall announce the names of all persons being proposed for the interim appointment and shall make available for inspection each person's resume and any other materials required by the body or board.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-228 of the Code of Virginia, relating to vacancies in elected local offices; interim appointments; notice requirement.

24101325D

H.B. 90

Patron: McNamara

Elections; candidates for office; conduct of primaries; declaration of candidacy. Requires a candidate for nomination by primary to file a written declaration of candidacy including a statement that his name shall not be printed on the ballots for that office in the succeeding general election if the candidate withdraws from or is defeated in the primary. Under current law, only candidates who are defeated in a primary election are subject to such restriction.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-520 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; candidates for office; conduct of primaries; declaration of candidacy.

24101581D

H.B. 111

Patron: Sullivan

Electors for President and Vice President; binding of electors; vacancies. Provides that an elector who is selected by the state convention of any political party and who, at the convening of the electors after the election, refuses to present a ballot, presents an unmarked ballot, or presents a ballot marked in violation of his oath stating that he would, if elected, cast his ballot for the candidates for President and Vice President nominated by the party that selected the elector, or as the party may direct in the event of the death, withdrawal, or disqualification of the party nominee, is deemed to vacate the office of elector. The bill provides that the other electors present shall immediately fill such vacancy in the same manner as a vacancy due to an elector's death or failure or inability to attend. The bill applies the same provisions to electors who are named in a petition of qualified voters not constituting a political party. The bill contains technical amendments that consolidate into a single chapter the provisions of Title 24.2 relating to presidential electors.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-311 and 24.2-614 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 24.2 a chapter numbered 2.1, containing articles numbered 1 and 2, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-240 through 24.2-246; and to repeal §§ 24.2-202 through 24.2-205 and Article 6 (§§ 24.2-542, 24.2-542.1, and 24.2-543) of Chapter 5 of Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electors for President and Vice President of the United States; binding of electors; oaths; vacancies.

24101053D

H.B. 126

Patron: Watts

Candidates for office; persons entitled to have name printed on ballot, required reports. Provides that a person who fails to file at least one of the campaign finance reports required by law to be filed in an election year by July 20 is not entitled to have his name printed on the ballot at the general election for the office sought.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-504, 24.2-539, and 24.2-953.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to candidates for office; persons entitled to have name printed on ballot; required campaign finance reports.

24106115D

H.B. 265

Patron: Simon

Removal of public officers from office; petition requirements; procedure. Requires the signatures collected on a petition for removal of certain public officers to be collected within 90 days of the first signature being collected and provides that no signatures gathered after such period shall count toward the required number. A petition for the removal of an elected official from office is not sufficient and shall not be certified by the general registrar when the grounds or reasons stated for removal of such official have been the basis for a previously filed petition against the same official that was dismissed for a failure to state valid grounds or did not result in the subject's removal from office at trial pursuant to law. The bill also provides that, in proceedings to remove a public officer from office, if the attorney for the Commonwealth who would be responsible for reviewing a removal petition and determining whether valid grounds for removal exist or for representing the Commonwealth at a removal proceeding has a conflict of interest or is otherwise unavailable, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia shall appoint an alternate attorney for the Commonwealth. Lastly, the bill provides that discovery shall not be permitted in any removal proceeding.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-233, 24.2-235, and 24.2-237 of the Code of Virginia, relating to removal of public officers from office; petition requirements; procedures.

24104458D

H.B. 322

Patron: Glass

Cosmetology Compact. Establishes the Cosmetology Compact upon the enactment of substantially similar legislation in the seventh Member State, defined in the bill. The bill creates a multistate license in furtherance of the objectives of providing opportunities for the uninterrupted practice of cosmetology between Member States and supporting the relocation of military members and their spouses by enabling such continuation of practice. The bill requires the Board of Barbers and Cosmetology to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 54.1-700.1, relating to Cosmetology Compact.

24101346D

H.B. 324

Patron: Glass

PA Licensure Compact. Authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to the PA Licensure Compact. The Compact permits eligible physician assistants to practice in Compact-participating states, provided that they are licensed in at least one participating state. The Compact has been passed in three states and takes effect when it is enacted by a seventh participating state or upon the effective date of the bill, whichever is later.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 54.1-2953.1, relating to PA Licensure Compact.

24101349D

H.B. 326

Patron: Glass

Social Work Licensure Compact. Authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to the Social Work Licensure Compact. The Compact allows social workers who have or are eligible for an active, unencumbered license in the compact member state where they reside to apply for a multistate license. After verifying eligibility, the social worker is granted a multistate license that authorizes practice in all other compact member states. The Compact takes effect when it is enacted by a seventh member state.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 37 of Title 54.1 an article numbered 3, consisting of a section numbered 54.1-3709.4, relating to Social Work Licensure Compact.

24101350D

H.B. 441

Patron: Bennett-Parker

Assistance for certain voters outside of the polling place; definition of "person with a disability"; training. Amends the definition of "person with a disability" for purposes of the Elections title to mean any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of his major life activities or who has a record of such impairment. The bill provides that any qualified voter who is a person with a disability shall be eligible for assistance outside of the polling place and makes technical amendments for consistency. The bill requires the training required for all officers of election to include specific training on voting outside of a polling place and directs the Department of Elections to incorporate into guidance documents for election officials the processes and procedures for voting outside of the polling place, including best practices for providing assistance for voters with disabilities.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-101 and 24.2-649.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to assistance for certain voters outside of the polling place; definition of "person with a disability"; training.

24106596D

H.B. 558

Patron: Hernandez

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty. Provides for a referendum at the November 5, 2024, election to approve or reject an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia that would expand the real property tax exemption that is currently available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action to be available to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty with a Line of Duty determination from the U.S. Department of Defense.

A BILL to provide for the submission to the voters of a proposed amendment to Section 6-A of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty.

24104020D

H.B. 730

Patron: Sickles

Campaign finance; independent expenditure reports; electronic filing required. Requires independent expenditure reports to be filed electronically. Current law allows such reports to be filed either electronically or in writing. The bill contains a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-945.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to campaign finance; independent expenditure reports; electronic filing required.

24103950D

H.B. 742

Patron: O'Quinn

State Board of Elections; appointment of Commissioner of Elections. Provides for the appointment of the Commissioner of Elections to be made by the State Board of Elections; currently, the Governor makes such appointment. The appointment or removal of a Commissioner shall require an affirmative vote of four of the five members of the Board. The Commissioner shall be subject to confirmation and reconfirmation by the General Assembly every four years. If the Board fails to make or communicate an appointment of a Commissioner by the end of the term, the bill provides that the Commissioner serving at such time shall be deemed to be reappointed and shall be subject to reconfirmation at the next regular session. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-106, 2.2-2905, and 24.2-102 of the Code of Virginia, relating to State Board of Elections; Commissioner of Elections.

24107508D

H.B. 904

Patron: Price

Voter registration; list maintenance activities; cancellation procedures; required record matches; required identification information; data standards. Requires certain, specified identification information to be included on the lists received by the Department of Elections for list maintenance purposes and requires the Department, upon receiving any such list, to do an initial comparison of the information included on such list with the list of registered voters and determine the confidence score for any match. Matches with a confidence score of at least 80 are transmitted to the appropriate general registrars. The bill prohibits the use of voter data received from another state or jurisdiction or through a list comparison for list maintenance purposes when the data file does not include a unique identifier for each individual whose information is contained in the data file. The bill requires the Department of Elections to annually review all sources of data utilized for list maintenance activities for the purpose of determining the validity, completeness, accuracy, and reliability of the data received from each source, and to include the results of such review in its annual report to the Committees on Privileges and Elections regarding its list maintenance activities. The bill requires the general registrars to send notice prior to cancelling a voter's record regardless of the reason for cancellation. Lastly, the bill clarifies that when a voter's registration is cancelled, a cancellation record must be created, and that such records are public in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and the National Voter Registration Act. The bill includes numerous technical amendments for organizational purposes.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3711, as it is currently effective and as it may become effective, 24.2-401, 24.2-404, 24.2-408, 24.2-409, 24.2-410, 24.2-410.1, 24.2-427, 24.2-435, 24.2-444, and 24.2-703.1 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-407.2, by adding in Chapter 4 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 2.1 and by adding in such article sections numbered 24.2-407.3 and 24.2-410.3 through 24.2-410.6, and by adding a section numbered 24.2-426.1; and to repeal §§ 24.2-404.3, 24.2-404.4, 24.2-410.2, 24.2-428, 24.2-428.1, and 24.2-428.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter registration; list maintenance activities; cancellation procedures; record matches; required identification information; data standards.

24106406D

H.B. 939

Patron: Shin

Elections administration; certain activities or conduct prohibited at polling places applicable to locations for absentee voting in person; prohibited possession of firearm within 100 feet of certain locations. Clarifies that the provisions of law prohibiting certain activities or conduct in and around a polling place shall also apply to locations where absentee voting in person is available. The bill also prohibits any person, with certain exceptions, from knowingly carrying a firearm on or about his person within 100 feet of the entrance of a polling place, the building used by the local electoral board to meet to ascertain election results, the building used to conduct a recount of an election, and other additional locations used for voting-related and elections-related activities.. Under current law, this prohibition applies within 40 feet of such entrances.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-107, 24.2-411, 24.2-413, 24.2-604, 24.2-653.01, 24.2-671, 24.2-679, 24.2-701.1, 24.2-707.1, 24.2-712, and 24.2-802.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections administration; certain activities or conduct prohibited at polling places applicable to locations for absentee voting in person; possession of firearm within 100 feet of locations used for certain voting-related and elections-related activities; penalty.

24106402D

H.B. 940

Patron: Shin

Elections administration; change to location of polling place, additional notice requirement. Requires notice of a change in the location of a polling place to be posted at the location last used for such polling place on the day of the first primary election and first general election conducted in the new location. This notice is required to include information on how voters may find their polling place.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-306 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections administration; change to location of polling place; additional notice requirement.

24100668D

H.B. 942

Patron: Shin

Polling places and voter satellite offices; prohibited locations. Prohibits the placement of a polling place or a voter satellite office within a police station or sheriff's office, but permits the placement in a public building that houses multiple offices that include a police station or sheriff's office.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-310 and 24.2-701.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to polling places and voter satellite offices; prohibited locations.

24106405D

H.B. 943

Patron: Shin

Voter registration; protected voter status; elections officials. Adds to the list of protected voters any person serving as a member of a local electoral board, a general registrar, a deputy registrar or employee in an office of a general registrar, or an officer of election. 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 to be 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 §§ 24.2-106, 24.2-110, 24.2-112, 24.2-115, and 24.2-418 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter registration; protected voter status; elections officials.

24100464D

H.B. 989

Patron: Tran

Elections administration; duties of the Department of Elections; required election and voter participation information on the Internet. Requires the Department of Elections to provide information for voters on its website, including (i) the role of and contact information for the State Board of Elections, the Department of Elections, local electoral boards, and general registrars and (ii) information about absentee voting, polling hours, Virginia's voter identification requirements and acceptable forms of identification, the casting of ballots, and a means for voters to find their polling place. The bill requires such website to allow a voter to review his current voter registration information and voting history. The bill also requires that the Department provide a version of its website in which all parts are translated into any language that is spoken by a language minority group, including that any page linked to a translated page also be translated.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-105.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections administration; duties of Department of Elections; required election and voter participation information on the Internet.

24100784D

H.B. 998

Patron: Anthony

Local electoral boards; certification and abstract of results; deadline. Extends the deadline for local electoral boards to meet after an election for the purpose of certifying the election results and submitting the abstract of results to the State Board of Elections from seven days after the date of the election to 10 days after such date.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-653.01, 24.2-671, and 24.2-678 of the Code of Virginia, relating to conduct of elections; local electoral boards; certification and abstract of results; deadline.

24107071D

H.B. 1003

Patron: Anthony

Elections; precincts and polling places; notice of changes mailed at least 30 days prior to election. Requires notice of any adopted change in an election district, precinct, or polling place to be mailed to all registered voters subject to such change at least 30 days prior to the next election. Currently, such notice must be mailed at least 15 days prior.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-306 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; precincts and polling places; notice of changes mailed at least 30 days prior to election.

24103845D

H.B. 1171

Patron: Wachsmann

Absentee voting; processing absentee ballots returned before election day; processing upon receipt. Requires the general registrars to complete the initial processing of absentee ballots that are returned before election day within three business days of receipt. Under current law, registrars are directed to mark the date of receipt in the voter's record and examine the ballot envelope to verify completion of the required voter affirmation when an absentee ballot is returned but are not subject to a deadline for doing so.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-709.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting; processing absentee ballots returned before election day; processing upon receipt.

24101142D

H.B. 1177

Patron: Sickles

Voter registration; list maintenance; data sharing; requiring membership in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). Requires the Commissioner of Elections to apply for, enter into, and maintain membership for the Commonwealth in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC).

A BILL to require the Commonwealth's participation in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC).

24100506D

H.B. 1330

Patron: Ward

Absentee voting; persons confined awaiting trial or for conviction of a misdemeanor. Provides that any registered voter who is confined while awaiting trial or for having been convicted of a misdemeanor may vote by absentee ballot and requires the institution or facility in which such voter is confined to (i) provide the means and opportunity for such voter to complete and submit a timely application for an absentee ballot and to properly mark his absentee ballot and (ii) ensure such voter's marked absentee ballot is returned in accordance with law.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-701 and 24.2-1005.2 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-700.1, relating to absentee voting; persons confined awaiting trial or for conviction of a misdemeanor.

24100964D

H.B. 1346

Patron: Bloxom

Elections; campaign finance; exemption for candidates for local office or directors of soil and water conservation districts. Provides that a candidate for local office or for director of a soil and water conservation district may also seek an exemption from the requirement that he designate a separate campaign depository by certifying that (i) he has not and will not contribute any money to his own campaign and (ii) he has not and will not expend any money in the course of the campaign. The bill also provides that a candidate for local office or for director of a soil and water conservation district applying for a general exemption is exempt from having to make special reports for certain large pre-election contributions.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-948.1 and 24.2-948.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; campaign finance; exemption for candidates for local office or directors of soil and water conservation districts.

24105067D

H.B. 1408

Patron: Srinivasan

Voter satellite offices; standards and guidelines for determining number and location. Directs the Department of Elections to develop standards and guidelines for local governing bodies to utilize when determining the number of voter satellite offices to be established in a county or city for a general election and the relative locations of such satellite offices. Such standards must take into account the county's or city's registered voter population and the density and distribution of such population within the county or city and must include a recommended minimum number of voter satellite offices for the 14-day and 30-day periods immediately preceding a general election.

A BILL to direct the Department of Elections to develop standards and guidelines for determining the number and location of voter satellite offices.

24106434D

H.B. 1534

Patron: Sickles

Elections; challenges to voter or voter's registration; challenges to candidate qualifications or eligibility. Eliminates the process by which any voter could challenge, in a polling place on the day of an election, the right of any other voter to cast a ballot. The bill also eliminates the process by which any three voters could challenge a voter's registration before the general registrar; such challenges may still be made by filing a petition with the circuit court of the county or city where the voter is registered. The bill also requires challenges to a person's eligibility to appear on the ballot on the basis that such person did not meet all qualifications or fulfill all requirements for candidacy to be made at least 60 days before the date of the election. Candidates who are nominated at a primary election cannot be later challenged on the basis of facts that were present prior to the primary election and could have been raised in a challenge to such candidate's eligibility for the primary ballot. Any challenge to a candidate's qualifications or eligibility shall be made by filing a petition with the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond, which shall have jurisdiction over such proceedings.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-431, 24.2-504, 24.2-525, 24.2-652, and 24.2-706 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal §§ 24.2-429, 24.2-430, 24.2-432, 24.2-433, and 24.2-651 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; challenges to voter or voter's registration; challenges to candidate qualifications or eligibility.

24106175D

H.J.R. 45

Patron: Tran

Constitutional amendment (second reference); real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty. Expands the current tax exemption for real property available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty with a Line of Duty determination from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Proposing an amendment to Section 6-A of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty.

24100305D