No-fault divorce; gender-neutral terminology.
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SB 247 — No-fault divorce; gender-neutral terminology.
Last action — Approved by Governor-Chapter 270 (effective 7/1/20)
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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✓Passed Senate
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✓Passed House of Delegates
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✓To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 02, 2020. Enacted.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
HighHow often bills like it became law.
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Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
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1 sponsor
1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
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Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 6 recorded votes so far.
Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.
Summary
No-fault divorce; gender-neutral terminology. Replaces the terms "husband" and "wife" with gender-neutral terms in the no-fault divorce statute.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
6 added · 4 removedPlain-language change summary
The amendments to Bill SB 247 involve the addition of a section referencing the 2021 legislative session and the removal of certain wording related to the approval of the Virginia Acts of Assembly. This change clarifies the timeline and context of the bill, ensuring it is properly linked with recent legislative sessions. It matters because it helps maintain accurate records and ensures that the law reflects the most current legal framework.
Code of Virginia Administrative Code Bills & Resolutions Summaries OTHER SESSIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Session Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Special Session II Session Session Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Session Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Special Session II Session Session Special Session I Session Session Special Session I Special Session II Session Session Session Special Session I Session Session Session Special Session I Session Session Session Session Special Session I Special Session II VIRGINIA LAW PORTALCode of VirginiaVirginia Administrative Code Constitution of VirginiaChartersAuthoritiesCompacts Uncodified ActsRIS Users (account required) SEARCHABLE DATABASESBills & Resolutionssession legislationBill Summariessession summaries Reports to the General AssemblyHouse and Senate documents Legislative LiaisonsState agency contactsACROSS SESSIONS Subject Index:
SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER 270 An Act to amend and reenact § 20-91 of the Code of Virginia, relating to no-fault divorce;
[S 247] Approved March 10, 2020 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
View plain text versions (4)
- Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0270) View text Current html March 10, 2020
- Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB247ER) View text html February 25, 2020
- Committee Substitute Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB247H1 html February 14, 2020
- Committee Substitute Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB247H1 html January 02, 2020
Action History
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Approved by Governor-Chapter 270 (effective 7/1/20)
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Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 10, 2020
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Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on February 3, 2020
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Signed by President
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Signed by Speaker
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Enrolled
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Title replaced 20108257D-H1
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House substitute agreed to by Senate (33-Y 6-N)
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VOTE: Passage (58-Y 42-N)
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Passed House with substitute (58-Y 42-N)
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Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB247H1
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Committee substitute agreed to 20108257D-H1
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Read third time
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Read second time
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Committee substitute printed 20108257D-H1
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Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (13-Y 9-N)
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Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
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Read first time
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Placed on Calendar
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Read third time and passed Senate (37-Y 2-N)
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Read second time and engrossed
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Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N)
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Reported from Judiciary (11-Y 0-N)
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Moved from Courts of Justice to Judiciary due to a change of the committee name
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Referred to Committee on the Judiciary
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Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20100400D
Sponsors
- Scott A. Surovell · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 147 not signed on · 46 voted No
Sponsors (1)
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (147)
147 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 147 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 33 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 33 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| % of votes cast | 83% | 15% | 0% | 3% |
How each member voted (40)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 57 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 57 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 58% | 42% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (99)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 13 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 59% | 41% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (22)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsey, Joseph C. | — | Yea |
| Collins, Christopher E. | — | Nay |
| Adams, Les R. | — | Nay |
| Bell, Robert B. | — | Nay |
| Bourne, Jeffrey M. | — | Yea |
| Campbell, Jeffrey L. | — | Nay |
| Campbell, Ronnie R. | — | Nay |
| Carroll Foy, Jennifer D. | — | Yea |
| Charniele L. Herring | — | Yea |
| Don Scott | — | Yea |
| Heretick, Steve E. | — | Yea |
| James A. "Jay" Leftwich | — | Nay |
| Karrie K. Delaney | — | Yea |
| Levine, Mark H. | — | Yea |
| Marcus B. Simon | — | Yea |
| Miyares, Jason S. | — | Nay |
| Mullin, Michael P. | — | Yea |
| Patrick A. Hope | — | Yea |
| Ransone, Margaret B. | — | Nay |
| Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. | — | Yea |
| Terry G. Kilgore | — | Nay |
| Vivian E. Watts | — | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 37 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 37 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| % of votes cast | 93% | 5% | 0% | 3% |
How each member voted (40)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Barker, George L. | — | Yea |
| Bell, John J. | — | Yea |
| Chafin, A. Benton "Ben" | — | Yea |
| Chase, Amanda F. | — | Nay |
| Cosgrove, John A., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Dunnavant, Siobhan S. | — | Yea |
| Edwards, John S. | — | Yea |
| Hanger, Emmett W., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Howell, Janet D. | — | Yea |
| Kiggans, Jennifer A. | — | Yea |
| Lewis, Lynwood W., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Mason, T. Montgomery "Monty" | — | Yea |
| McClellan, Jennifer L. | — | Yea |
| Morrissey, Joseph D. | — | Yea |
| Newman, Stephen D. | — | Yea |
| Norment, Thomas K., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Petersen, J. Chapman | — | Yea |
| Ruff, Frank M., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Saslaw, Richard L. | — | Yea |
| Spruill, Lionell, Sr. | — | Not Voting |
| Vogel, Jill Holtzman | — | Yea |
| Adam P. Ebbin | — | Yea |
| Barbara A. Favola | — | Yea |
| Bill DeSteph | — | Yea |
| Bryce E. Reeves | — | Yea |
| David R. Suetterlein | — | Yea |
| David W. Marsden | — | Yea |
| Ghazala F. Hashmi | — | Yea |
| Jennifer B. Boysko | — | Yea |
| Jeremy S. McPike | — | Yea |
| L. Louise Lucas | — | Yea |
| Mamie E. Locke | — | Yea |
| Mark D. Obenshain | — | Yea |
| Mark J. Peake | — | Yea |
| R. Creigh Deeds | — | Yea |
| Richard H. Stuart | — | Yea |
| Ryan T. McDougle | — | Yea |
| Scott A. Surovell | — | Yea |
| Todd E. Pillion | — | Yea |
| William M. Stanley, Jr. | — | Nay |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 38 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 38 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| % of votes cast | 95% | 0% | 0% | 5% |
How each member voted (40)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Barker, George L. | — | Yea |
| Bell, John J. | — | Yea |
| Chafin, A. Benton "Ben" | — | Not Voting |
| Chase, Amanda F. | — | Yea |
| Cosgrove, John A., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Dunnavant, Siobhan S. | — | Yea |
| Edwards, John S. | — | Yea |
| Hanger, Emmett W., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Howell, Janet D. | — | Yea |
| Kiggans, Jennifer A. | — | Yea |
| Lewis, Lynwood W., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Mason, T. Montgomery "Monty" | — | Yea |
| McClellan, Jennifer L. | — | Yea |
| Morrissey, Joseph D. | — | Yea |
| Newman, Stephen D. | — | Yea |
| Norment, Thomas K., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Petersen, J. Chapman | — | Yea |
| Ruff, Frank M., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Saslaw, Richard L. | — | Yea |
| Spruill, Lionell, Sr. | — | Yea |
| Vogel, Jill Holtzman | — | Yea |
| Adam P. Ebbin | — | Yea |
| Barbara A. Favola | — | Yea |
| Bill DeSteph | — | Yea |
| Bryce E. Reeves | — | Yea |
| David R. Suetterlein | — | Yea |
| David W. Marsden | — | Yea |
| Ghazala F. Hashmi | — | Yea |
| Jennifer B. Boysko | — | Yea |
| Jeremy S. McPike | — | Yea |
| L. Louise Lucas | — | Yea |
| Mamie E. Locke | — | Yea |
| Mark D. Obenshain | — | Yea |
| Mark J. Peake | — | Yea |
| R. Creigh Deeds | — | Yea |
| Richard H. Stuart | — | Yea |
| Ryan T. McDougle | — | Yea |
| Scott A. Surovell | — | Yea |
| Todd E. Pillion | — | Not Voting |
| William M. Stanley, Jr. | — | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (11)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| McClellan, Jennifer L. | — | Yea |
| Edwards, John S. | — | Yea |
| Saslaw, Richard L. | — | Yea |
| Petersen, J. Chapman | — | Yea |
| Chafin, A. Benton "Ben" | — | Yea |
| Morrissey, Joseph D. | — | Yea |
| Jennifer B. Boysko | — | Yea |
| Mark D. Obenshain | — | Yea |
| R. Creigh Deeds | — | Yea |
| Ryan T. McDougle | — | Yea |
| Scott A. Surovell | — | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 247 do?
- No-fault divorce; gender-neutral terminology. Replaces the terms "husband" and "wife" with gender-neutral terms in the no-fault divorce statute.
- Who sponsors SB 247?
- SB 247 is sponsored by Scott A. Surovell.
- What is the current status of SB 247?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 02, 2020. Enacted.
- Where can I track SB 247?
- Track SB 247 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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