Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia HB 967
Voting Rights Act of Virginia; revises provisions.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic)
Cosponsors (29)
- Kannan Srinivasan (Democratic)
- Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic)
- Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic)
- Rodney T. Willett (Democratic)
- Kathy K.L. Tran (Democratic)
- Irene Shin (Democratic)
- Charlie Schmidt
- Sam Rasoul (Democratic)
- Kimberly Pope Adams
- May Nivar (Democratic)
- Marty Martinez (Democratic)
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado
- Destiny LeVere Bolling (Democratic)
- Karen Keys-Gamarra (Democratic)
- Patrick A. Hope (Democratic)
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr. (Democratic)
- Dan I. Helmer (Democratic)
- Elizabeth R. Guzman (Democratic)
- Jackie H. Glass (Democratic)
- Debra D. Gardner (Democratic)
- Margaret A. Franklin
- Rae Cousins (Democratic)
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler (Democratic)
- Nicole Cole (Democratic)
- Joshua G. Cole (Democratic)
- Nadarius E. Clark (Democratic)
- Betsy B. Carr (Democratic)
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie
- Bonita G. Anthony (Democratic)
Summary
Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED
Elections; Voting Rights Act of Virginia. Revises provisions of the Voting Rights Act of Virginia (the Act) by (i) clarifying the legal standards for evaluating claims of alleged voter suppression and vote dilution, (ii) providing guidance to the courts to follow when determining whether a violation of the prohibition against voter suppression or vote dilution has occurred, and (iii) outlining the factors that the courts are permitted to consider and those factors that the courts are prohibited from considering. The bill expands the class of persons who may initiate a cause of action for an alleged violation of the Act to include organizations whose membership includes members of a protected class, organizations whose mission would be frustrated by a violation of the Act, and organizations that would expend resources in order to fulfill their mission as a result of a violation of the Act. The population thresholds for a locality to be designated as a covered locality for purposes of minority language accessibility pursuant to the Act are also amended. Current law designates a locality as a covered locality if, in the locality, (a) more than five percent of the voting age population or (b) more than 10,000 of the voting age population are members of a single language minority and are unable to speak or understand English adequately enough to participate in the electoral process; the bill reduces those thresholds from five to three percent and from 10,000 to 5,000. The bill contains technical amendments for organizational purposes.
Text versions
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:06 AM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 4, 2026 Senate | Passage R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 3, 2026 Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 3, 2026 Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 24, 2026 Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendments | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 12, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 6, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 6, 2026 House | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
Actions
- Apr 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 717 (effective 7/1/2026) - Mar 16, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB967) - Mar 14, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 - Mar 14, 2026 · House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 - Mar 13, 2026 · Senate
Signed by President - Mar 13, 2026 · House
Signed by Speaker - Mar 13, 2026 · House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB967ER) - Mar 13, 2026 · House
Enrolled - Mar 6, 2026 · House
Senate amendments agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Passed Senate with amendments (21-Y 18-N 0-A) - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Committee amendments agreed to - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Read third time - Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) - Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended - Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) - Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 7-N) - Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Senate committee offered - Feb 13, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections - Feb 13, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A) - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Read second time and engrossed - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB967) - Feb 10, 2026 · House
Read first time - Feb 6, 2026 · House
Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 7-N) - Feb 6, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N) - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Assigned HPE sub: Voting Rights - Jan 13, 2026 · House
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections - Jan 13, 2026 · House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101432D