SB 688 VA

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Passed Legislature

Campaign finance; campaign contribution and expenditure limits; contingency. Establishes campaign contribution and expenditure limits for all persons and committees in the Commonwealth. The effectiveness of the provisions of the bill is contingent on certification by the Attorney General to the Code Commission that any such provision is reasonably probable to be upheld as constitutional due to (i) an opinion by the Supreme Court; (ii) The adoption of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution; or (iii) any other reason, to be specified in the certification. The bill also states that in the opinion of the General Assembly, the Supreme Court's decisions in Citizens United v. FEC, 558 US. 310 (2010), McCutcheon v FEC, 572 U.S. 185 (2014), and other related campaign finance cases were wrongly decided, that such decisions undermine the integrity of Virginia's democratic process by preventing reasonable limits on campaign contributions and expenditures, and that contribution and expenditure limits will enhance public trust in Virginia's electoral system, facilitate greater transparency, and ensure that elected officials remain accountable to all Virginians. The provisions of the bill establishing expenditure limits for candidates do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

• Scott A. Surovell Democratic · primary

1. Jan 14, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100017D · upper
2. Jan 14, 2026 Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections · upper
3. Feb 3, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB688) · upper
4. Feb 10, 2026 Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendment (8-Y 7-N) · upper
5. Feb 10, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
6. Feb 12, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
7. Feb 12, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
8. Feb 12, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
9. Feb 13, 2026 Read second time · upper
10. Feb 13, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
11. Feb 16, 2026 Read second time · upper
12. Feb 16, 2026 Privileges and Elections Amendment rejected · upper
13. Feb 16, 2026 Floor offered Senator Surovell Substitute · upper
14. Feb 16, 2026 Reading of substitute waived (Voice Vote) · upper
15. Feb 16, 2026 Senator Surovell Substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) · upper
16. Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Voice Vote) · upper
17. Feb 17, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) · upper
18. Feb 17, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB688) · upper
19. Feb 24, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
20. Feb 24, 2026 Read first time · lower
21. Feb 24, 2026 Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections · lower
22. Feb 27, 2026 Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (19-Y 2-N) · lower
23. Mar 2, 2026 House committee offered · lower
24. Mar 2, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108899D-H1 · lower
25. Mar 3, 2026 Read second time · lower
26. Mar 4, 2026 Read third time · lower
27. Mar 4, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
28. Mar 4, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
29. Mar 4, 2026 Passed House with substitute (89-Y 10-N 0-A) · lower
30. Mar 6, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
31. Mar 9, 2026 House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) · upper
32. Mar 10, 2026 House insisted on substitute · lower
33. Mar 10, 2026 House requested conference committee · lower
34. Mar 11, 2026 Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
35. Mar 11, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
36. Mar 11, 2026 Senate Conferees: Mulchi, Surovell, Bennett-Parker · upper
37. Mar 12, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB688) · upper
38. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
39. Mar 12, 2026 House Conferees: Price, Convirs-Fowler, Scott of Spotsylvania · lower
40. Mar 14, 2026 No further action taken · upper
41. Mar 14, 2026 Failed to Pass from conference · upper
42. Mar 14, 2026 Failed to Pass from conference · upper

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Privileges and Elections Substitute · PDF
• Privileges and Elections Substitute · HTML
• Privileges and Elections Substitute · PDF
• Privileges and Elections Substitute · HTML
• Senator Surovell Substitute · PDF
• Senator Surovell Substitute · HTML
• Privileges and Elections Amendment · HTML
• Privileges and Elections Amendment · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML