Archives 2024

In May, a new budget was passed to fund state operations for the next two years. After going through rounds of suggested language, the General Assembly’s proposed budget was still called a “backwards budget,” meaning multiple aspects would be harmful steps backward for the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, in at least one case so far, that has proved true. The General Assembly leadership insisted a ban on presidential election audits be included in the budget, creating budget item 77 F.1:

“Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections C and D of § 24.2-671.2., Code of Virginia, a risk-limiting audit of a presidential election or an election for the nomination of candidates for the office of President shall not be conducted.”

We cannot overemphasize how poor and deeply concerning a decision it was to add this prohibition to the budget. Audits exist to ensure fair elections, regardless of the background—personal, political, or otherwise— of the candidates in question. Prohibiting an audit is a serious affront to the American government system founded on checks and balances to serve the people.

With presidential audits off the table, the next best thing is conducting a statewide audit of the Virginia Senate race. Thankfully, state officials intend to do just that. However, in order for it to be an effective audit, including hand counting some ballots to verify machine counts, both the Department of Elections and the State Board of Elections must choose a specific auditing method called the Batch Comparison Risk Limiting Audit.

The other, more common, method is called a Ballot Polling Risk Limiting Audit. This method includes pulling a “statistically significant” number of ballots (insert eye roll), assuming any needles in the haystack are included, and making a determination about the integrity of the election based on a review of just those ballots.

Please make your voice heard by both the State Board of Elections and the Department of Elections by telling them you support the more robust Batch Comparison Risk Limiting Audit for the statewide audit of the Senate race.

Saturday, March 9th, marked the last day (also known as Sine Die) of the 2024 General Assembly session. This means that all bills have either died, been continued to 2025, or have passed the House and Senate and have been sent to the Governor’s desk for his approval or veto. For early bills that passed both chambers more than a week ago, the Governor had 7 days to sign or veto each bill; as of Friday evening, March 8th, the Governor had signed 64 bills, suggested amendments for 12 bills and vetoed 8 bills. Click here to see the press release from the Governor regarding his action on these bills. For all other bills that have passed both chambers, the Governor will have a 30 day timeframe in which to take action with his pen. When that 30 day period has elapsed, the General Assembly will return to Richmond to consider any bill amendments the Governor has recommended. The General Assembly can choose to accept or reject the Governor’s amendments during the Reconvened Session, which will take place on Wednesday, April 17. 

2024 Session Overview Numbers
(Total # of bills and resolutions)

• Introduced: 3594
• Passed the House: 2187
• Passed the Senate: 1858
• Continued to next session: 405
• Failed: 877
• Signed: 64
• Vetoed: 8

The report below includes bills that fall into alignment with Virginia Institute’s policy recommendations, either for good policy or bad policy, and received a vote in a committee or on the House or Senate Floor last week. See the bottom of the page for a full list of bills we are following.

ELECTIONS

Status: The following bill has been VETOED by the Governor:

SB 606- ERIC

This bill would require Virginia to re-join the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). Although ERIC claims to be a service to help states keep accurate voter rolls, Virginia left ERIC last year after serious concerns over data privacy breaches and partisanship influence within the organization.

• SB 606 text and info: Click HERE

Status: The Governor has recommended amendments for the following bill to the General Assembly: 

SB 196- Voter Registration

The version of this bill that was sent to the Governor would have altered the procedure for challenging a voter registration. It would have abolished the mechanism for a voter to challenge another voter’s registration eligibility while at a polling place, shifting the responsibility of challenge oversight solely to the court system. In advocating for this, SB 196 erects barriers that could impede the timely resolution of eligibility disputes. Registrars, who maintain up-to-date, accurate voter registration lists for their areas, should retain control over this process.

• SB 196 bill text and info: Click HERE

Status: The following bills have passed both the House and the Senate and are set to be sent to the Governor for his approval or veto.

HB 1177- ERIC

This bills would require Virginia to re-join the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). Although ERIC claims to be a service to help states keep accurate voter rolls, Virginia left ERIC last year after serious concerns over data privacy breaches and partisanship influence within the organization.

• SB 606 text and info: Click HERE
• HB 1177 text and info: Click HERE

SB 196 & HB 1534- Voter Registration

These bills would alter the procedure for challenging a voter registration. It would abolish the mechanism for a voter to challenge another voter’s registration eligibility while at a polling place, shifting the responsibility of challenge oversight solely to the court system. In advocating for this, SB 196 and HB 1534 erect barriers that could impede the timely resolution of eligibility disputes. Registrars, who maintain up-to-date, accurate voter registration lists for their areas, should retain control over this process.

• SB 196 bill text and info: Click HERE
• HB 1534 bill text and info: Click HERE

SB 246 & HB 1454- Driver Privilege Card Extension

This bill eliminates features used to distinguish between citizen and non-citizen state-issued driver’s permits and ID cards, which could facilitate non-citizens voting. 

• SB 246 text and info: Click HERE
• HB 1454 text and info: Click HERE

HB 1408- Electoral Administration

This bill takes a top-down approach to determining the appropriate number of early voting locations in each Virginia city and county, by directing the Department of Elections to create guidelines for localities to utilize regarding how many early voting locations should be open for early voting. These decisions are best made at the local level, where they are currently made, by the local election administrators who know their locality best.

• To see bill text and info: Click HERE

HB 26- Acceptable ID Expansion

This bill expands the list of accepted forms of identification to be presented when voting. Currently, although there is a list of accepted IDs, no ID is required to vote. Any registered voter who arrives at a polling location without an accepted form of identification, or with no ID at all, can sign a statement confirming that they are the registered voter that they say that they are, and then they are permitted to vote. This statement makes the list of acceptable IDs seem like a formality; additionally, some people are concerned that the types of IDs that this bill approves are available to noncitizens. 

• To see bill text and info: Click HERE

HB 939- Firearms at Precincts

If passed, this bill would prohibit a person from carrying a firearm within 100 feet of a voting location, including a ballot drop box. The original text of this bill would have also prohibited a firearm in a vehicle that was within 100 feet of a voting location, but the bill was amended to eliminate that problem.

• To see bill text and info: Click HERE

SB 364- Protection of Election Officials & Increased Penalties

This bill proposes to create higher criminal penalties for intimidation, harassment, and other offenses against election officials and election office staff, continuing a debunked narrative that election officials frequently experience harassment and threats. Although there was an amendment to clarify that communication like politely asked questions couldn’t be considered intimidation, there have been differing opinions about whether the language of the bill is clear that it would only apply to imminent harm and threats of bodily injury to election officials and couldn’t be applied to benign communications. To protect citizens from inaccurate or subjective allegations, this bill.

• To see bill text and info: Click HERE
• Radio interview discussing this bill

SB 428- Ranked Choice Voting Expansion

This bill, initially, would have expanded Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) to more local offices. Currently, if a Board of Supervisors or City Council votes to approve RCV it can be used to conduct a Board of Supervisors race or a City Council race. This bill was written to expand that to permit other local office races to be conducted using Ranked Choice Voting. It also would require some minor changes to be made to processes for RCV local races that are currently permitted. This bill was amended so it no longer expands RCV to new local offices. Now, if passed, it only would establish the minor process changes for already permitted RCV races. to benign communications. To protect citizens from inaccurate or subjective allegations, this bill.

• To see bill text and info: Click HERE

HEALTHCARE

Status: The following bills have passed both the House and the Senate and are set to be sent to the Governor for his approval or veto. 

SB 277- Certificate of Public Need

This bill would expand an expedited application and review process for Certificate of Public Need. 

• To see bill text and info: Click HERE

HB 570- Drug Price Setting

This bill would create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. Under this proposed legislation, the Board will be given authority to limit drug payment amounts and reimbursements to an upper payment limit amount for state sponsored and state regulated health plans. 

• To see bill text and info: Click HERE

LICENSING

Status: The following bills have passed both the House and the Senate and are set to be sent to the Governor for his approval or veto. 

SB 22- Dental Compact

This bill would enter Virginia into an interstate licensing compact for dentists and dental hygienists. Any dentist or dental hygienist licensed in any state participating in the compact would be able to practice in any compact state, increasing access to dental services.

• To see bill text and info: Click HERE

SB 239- Social Worker Compact

This bill would enter Virginia into an interstate licensing compact for fully licensed social workers. Social workers licensed in any state participating in the compact would be able to practice in any compact state, filling a need for more social workers.

• To see bill text and info: Click HERE

All Bills Virginia Institute is Following