Virginia 2023 Regular Session Status: Enacted

SB 944 — Elections; filling vacancies in Gen. Assembly, certain vacancies to be filled between 30/45 days.

Last action — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0306)

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 06, 2023. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin (Republican) on March 23, 2023.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Failed a recorded vote

    Failed 7 recorded votes so far — a real headwind.

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.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

26 added · 26 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Bill SB 944 clarifies the process for filling vacancies in the Virginia General Assembly. It specifies that when a vacancy occurs, the Governor must issue a writ of election within 30 days, ensuring a prompt election to fill the seat. Additionally, if the vacancy occurs between December 10 and March 1, the special election must be held within 30 days, making it quicker to fill seats during critical times. This change aims to enhance responsiveness in the legislative process and ensure that constituencies remain represented without unnecessary delays.

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SESSION ENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY –– CHAPTER E An Act to amend and reenact § 24.2-216 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections;
VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- 2023 SESSION CHAPTER 306 An Act to amend and reenact § 24.2-216 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections;
R O [S 944] Approved L L 1.
[S 944] Approved March 23, 2023 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
E § 24.2-216.
§ 24.2-216.
When a vacancy occurs in the membership of the General Assembly during the recess of the General Assembly or when a member-elect to the next General Assembly dies, resigns, or becomes legally incapacitated to hold office prior to its meeting, the Governor shall issue a writ of election to fill the Delegates or the President pro tempore of the Senate, as the case may be, shall issue the writ unless the respective house by rule or resolution shall provide otherwise.
When a vacancy occurs in the membership of the General Assembly during the recess of the General Assembly or when a member-elect to the next General Assembly dies, resigns, or becomes legally incapacitated to hold office prior to its meeting, the Governor shall issue a writ of election to fill the vacancy.
If the vacancy occurs during the session of the General Assembly, the Speaker of the House of respective house by rule or resolution shall provide otherwise.
The writ shalB be the vacancy occurs or will occur between December 10 and March 1, the writ shall order the specialrst.
The writ shall be issued within 30 days of the vacancy or receipt of notification of the vacancy, whichever comes first.
If election to be held no more than 30 days from the date of such vacancy.
If the vacancy occurs or will occur between December 10 and March 1, the writ shall order the special election to be held no more than 30 days from the date of such vacancy.
The member's or E member-elect's resignation shall not be revocable after the date stated by him for his resignation or after the forty-fifth day before the date set for the special election.
The member's or member-elect's resignation shall not be revocable after the date stated by him for his resignation or after the forty-fifth day before the date set for the special election.
The writ shall be directed to the secretaries of the electoral boards and the general registrars of the resNotwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no election to fill a vacancy shall be ordered or held if the general or special election at which it is to be called is scheduled within 75 days of the end of the term of the office to be filled.
The writ shall be directed to the secretaries of the electoral boards and the general registrars of the respective counties and cities composing the district for which the election is to be held.
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no election to fill a vacancy shall be ordered or held if the general or special election at which it is to be called is scheduled within 75 days of the end of the term of the office to be filled.
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Action History

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0306)

  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 306 (effective 7/1/23)

  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 27, 2023

  4. Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 13, 2023

  5. Signed by Speaker

  6. Signed by President

  7. Impact statement from DPB (SB944ER)

  8. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB944ER)

  9. Enrolled

  10. VOTE: Block Vote Passage #2 (99-Y 0-N)

  11. Passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)

  12. Reconsideration of House passage agreed to by House

  13. VOTE: Block Vote Passage (98-Y 0-N)

  14. Passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)

  15. Read third time

  16. Read second time

  17. Reported from Privileges and Elections (22-Y 0-N)

  18. Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

  19. Assigned P & E sub: Subcommittee #1

  20. Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

  21. Read first time

  22. Placed on Calendar

  23. Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)

  24. Read second time and engrossed

  25. Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)

  26. Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 0-N)

  27. Impact statement from DPB (SB944)

  28. Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

  29. Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/23 23102711D

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 147 not signed on

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.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 944?
SB 944 is sponsored by David R. Suetterlein.
What is the current status of SB 944?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 06, 2023. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 944?
Track SB 944 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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