HB 168 VA

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Became Law

Election of certain governing bodies; conversion to single-member districts. Requires every locality with a population of 400,000 or greater to elect the members of its governing body by individual single-member districts. The bill provides that a governing body's presiding officer may be elected at large. The bill further provides that any such governing body that does not already meet the requirements of the bill shall establish the required districts and shall reapportion the representation in the governing body in accordance with general law. Finally, the bill provides that for any such governing body that, prior to 2026, adopted an ordinance with a map to elect its members by individual single-member districts, such ordinance shall become effective upon the effective date of this act. This bill is identical to SB 51 and contains an emergency clause.

• Alex Q. Askew Democratic · primary

1. Jan 6, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103668D · lower
2. Jan 6, 2026 Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns · lower
3. Jan 20, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB168) · lower
4. Jan 20, 2026 Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #3 · lower
5. Jan 23, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
6. Jan 23, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 1-N) · lower
7. Jan 23, 2026 Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (15-Y 4-N) · lower
8. Jan 23, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26105950D-H1 · lower
9. Jan 27, 2026 Read first time · lower
10. Jan 28, 2026 Read second time · lower
11. Jan 28, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
12. Jan 28, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
13. Jan 29, 2026 Read third time and passed House (75-Y 24-N 0-A) · lower
14. Jan 30, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
15. Jan 30, 2026 Referred to Committee on Local Government · upper
16. Feb 4, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB168) · lower
17. Feb 23, 2026 Reported from Local Government with substitute (9-Y 6-N) · upper
18. Feb 23, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
19. Feb 23, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108414D-S1 · upper
20. Feb 24, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
21. Feb 24, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
22. Feb 24, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
23. Feb 25, 2026 Read third time · upper
24. Feb 25, 2026 Local Government Substitute agreed to · upper
25. Feb 25, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute · upper
26. Feb 25, 2026 Passed Senate with substitute (23-Y 17-N 0-A) · upper
27. Feb 26, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB168) · lower
28. Feb 27, 2026 Senate substitute agreed to by House (66-Y 30-N 0-A) · lower
29. Mar 4, 2026 Enrolled · lower
30. Mar 4, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB168ER) · lower
31. Mar 4, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 04, 2026 · lower
32. Mar 4, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 11, 2026 · executive
33. Mar 4, 2026 Governor's recommendation received by House · executive
34. Mar 4, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
35. Mar 4, 2026 Signed by President · upper
36. Mar 6, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB168) · lower
37. Mar 6, 2026 House concurred in Governor's recommendation (67-Y 30-N 0-A) · lower
38. Mar 10, 2026 Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (22-Y 18-N 0-A) · upper
39. Mar 10, 2026 Governor's recommendation adopted · executive
40. Mar 10, 2026 Reenrolled · lower
41. Mar 10, 2026 Reenrolled bill text (HB168ER2) · lower
42. Mar 10, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
43. Mar 10, 2026 Signed by President · upper
44. Mar 10, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 10 (Effective 3/10/2026) · executive
45. Mar 10, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0010) · executive

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.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Reenrolled · PDF
• Reenrolled · HTML
• Governor's Recommendation · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Local Government Substitute · PDF
• Local Government Substitute · HTML
• Local Government Substitute · PDF
• Local Government Substitute · HTML
• Counties, Cities and Towns Substitute · PDF
• Counties, Cities and Towns Substitute · HTML
• Counties, Cities and Towns Substitute · PDF
• Counties, Cities and Towns Substitute · HTML
• Subcommittee #3 Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Subcommittee #3 Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML