2024 Priority Legislation

of the Virginia Grassroots Coalition

★ Hover over "Committee" to see name of committee; CLICK to see Comm. Members.
★ CLICK "more" to learn more about the bill.

Climate

Campaign Finance

Passed House & Senate

Vetoed

Approved by Gov

Gov made recommendations

Cat	Number	Title	Patron	House	Senate	GA	Governor	updated
2024 Priority Bills Vetoed by Governor
workers	HB 1 Support	Minimum wage; increases wage to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025. more... Increases the minimum wage from the current rate of $12.00 per hour to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2026. The bill satisfies a reenactment clause included in Chapters 1204 and 1242 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020.	Ward (D)	Passed (51-Y 49-N)	Passed (21-Y 18-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 03/28/24	3/30/24
guns	HB 2 Support	Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. more... Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, possesses, transports, or transfers an assault firearm, as that term is defined in the bill, and prohibits a person who has been convicted of such violation from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for a period of three years from the date of conviction. ...	Helmer (D)	Passed (51-49)	Passed w. substitute (20-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 03/26/24	3/29/24
workers	HB 212 Support	MEI Project Approval Commission; board-level gender and diversity requirements. more... Requires that the MEI Project Approval Commission considers, prior to recommending approval of any major employment and investment (MEI) project, (i) whether a business has and commits to maintaining a balanced board of directors based upon gender and racial diversity, such that at least 30 percent of such board of directors consists of women and historically underrepresented groups, and (ii) whether a business seeking approval of a project submits a board diversity disclosure and commits to updating such disclosure annually, specifying the number and percentage of diverse directors on the board of such business who self-identify as female or represent a national, racial, ethnic, indigenous, or cultural minority in the country of the business's principal executive offices.	Watts (D)	Passed (51-Y 48-N)	Passed with sub (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 03/28/24	3/30/24
rights	HB 243 Support	Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; availability of complaint forms in courthouses. more... Requires that paper copies of any standardized form developed and utilized by the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission for the filing of a complaint be made available to the public in the clerk's office in all state courts of the Commonwealth. ...	Martinez (D)	Passed (51-Y 48-N)	Passed (32-Y 6-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 4/8/24	4/9/24
governance	HB 265 Support	Removal of public officers from office; petition requirements; procedure. more... Requires the signatures collected on a petition for removal of certain public officers to be collected within 90 days of the first signature being collected and provides that no signatures gathered after such period shall count toward the required number. ...	Simon (D)	Passed (58-Y 37-N), then (63-Y 37-N) w Senate substitute	Passed w substitute (22-Y 17-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 4/8/2024	4/9/24
justice	HB 267 Support	Arrest/prosecution of individual experiencing mental health emerg.; assault against law enforcement. more... Provides that no individual shall be subject to arrest or prosecution for an assault or assault and battery against a law-enforcement officer if at the time of the assault or assault and battery (i) the individual (a) is experiencing a mental health emergency or (b) meets the criteria for issuance of an emergency custody order and (ii) the law-enforcement officer subject to the assault or assault and battery was responding to a call for service requesting assistance for such individual. ...	Watts (D)	Passed (56-Y 42-N)	Passed w substitute (20-Y 19-N)	CC Report Accepted by Senate (21-Y 19-N)	Vetoed 3/27/23	4/2/24
rights	HB 335 Support	Employment; determining wage of tipped employee. more... Provides that an employer shall increase the amount paid to its tipped employees by an amount determined by the employer in accordance with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a tipped employee who regularly performs services in the course of his employment for which there is no reasonable expectation of receiving tips shall receive an amount not less than the minimum wage for the time that he performs such services. ...	Gardner (D)	Passed (49-Y 47-N)	Passed (20-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 4/8/24	4/9/24
guns	HB 362 Support	Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm following an assault and battery. more... Provides that any person who knowingly and intentionally purchases, possesses, or transports any firearm following a misdemeanor conviction for an offense that occurred on or after July 1, 2024, for the offense of assault and battery against a person in a dating relationship, as defined in the bill, with the alleged offender or an offense substantially similar under the laws of any other state or of the United States is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.	McClure (D)	Passed (53-Y 46-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 03/26/24	3/29/24
education	HB 398 Support	Public elementary and secondary schools; student discipline; evidence-based. more... Prohibits, except in certain cases involving firearms, drugs, adjudications of delinquency, or convictions of certain crimes, any public elementary or secondary school student from being suspended, expelled, or excluded from attendance at school without implementing at least one evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice ...	McQuinn (D)	Passed (52-Y 47-N)	Passed w substitute (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 4/8/24	4/23/24
rights	HB 569 Support	Employment discrimination; employee notification of federal and state statute of limitations. more... Requires an employer who receives an employee complaint alleging sexual assault, harassment, or any other form of discrimination for which the employee may seek enforcement by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Office of the Attorney General to notify such employee that a charge may be filed with the EEOC or the Office of the Attorney General within 300 days after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred. ...	Henson (D)	Passed (49-Y 48-N)	Passed w substitute (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed	3/25/24
workers	HB 570 Support	Prescription Drug Affordability Board; established, drug cost affordability review, report. more... Establishes the Prescription Drug Affordability Board for the purpose of protecting the citizens of the Commonwealth and other stakeholders within the health care system from the high costs of prescription drug products. ...	Delany (D)	Passed (52-Y 46-N)	Passed (25-Y 15-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 4/8/24	4/9/24
education	HB 805 Support	Sales and use tax, local; additional tax authorized in all counties & cities to support schools. more... Authorizes all counties and cities to impose an additional local sales and use tax at a rate not to exceed one percent with the revenue used only for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools if such levy is approved in a voter referendum. Under current law, only Charlotte, Gloucester, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick, and Pittsylvania Counties and the City of Danville are authorized to impose such a tax.	Rasoul (D)	Passed (69-Y 28-N)	Passed w. substitute (27-Y 12-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 4/8/24	4/9/24
guns	HB 939 Support	Unlawful to knowingly carry a firearm within 100 feet of certain locations. more... Prohibits any person, with certain exceptions, from knowingly possessing a firearm within 100 feet of the entrance of a polling place, the building used by the local electoral board to meet to ascertain election results, or the building used to conduct a recount of an election. ...	Shin (D)	Passed (51-Y 47-N)	Passed w. substitute (20-Y 19-N)	Agreed by House (51-Y 49-N)	Vetoed 03/27/24	3/29/24
workers	SB 1 Support	Minimum wage; increases wage to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025. more... Increases the minimum wage from the current rate of $12.00 per hour to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2026. The bill satisfies a reenactment clause included in Chapters 1204 and 1242 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020.	Lucas (D)	Passed (51-Y 47-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 03/28/24	3/30/24
guns	SB 2 Support	Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. more... Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, possesses, transports, or transfers an assault firearm, as that term is defined in the bill, and prohibits a person who has been convicted of such violation from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for a period of three years from the date of conviction. The bill provides that an assault firearm does not include any firearm that is an antique firearm, has been rendered permanently inoperable, is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, or was manufactured before July 1, 2024. ...	Deeds (D)	Passed (51-Y 49-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 03/26/24	3/29/24
education	SB 14 Support	Additional local sales and use tax to support schools; referendum. more... Authorizes all counties and cities to impose an additional local sales and use tax at a rate not to exceed one percent with the revenue used only for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools if such levy is approved in a voter referendum. Under current law, only Charlotte, Gloucester, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick, and Pittsylvania Counties and the City of Danville are authorized to impose such a tax.	McPike (D)	Passed (68-Y 28-N)	Passed (27-Y 13-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 4/8/24	4/9/24
workers	SB 15 Support	Reproductive health care services; prohibitions on extradition for certain crimes. more... Provides that no demand for extradition of a person charged with a criminal violation of law of another state shall be recognized by the Governor if such alleged violation involves the receipt of or assistance with reproductive health care services within the Commonwealth unless the alleged criminal violation would also constitute a criminal offense under the laws of the Commonwealth. ...	Favola (D)	Passed (54-Y 46-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 04/05/24	4/8/24
guns	SB 47 Support	Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person. more... Provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because such person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member may transfer a firearm owned by such prohibited person to any person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm, provided that such person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm is 21 years of age or older and does not reside with the person who is subject to the protective order. ...	Favola (D)	Passed (52-Y 47-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 3/8/24	3/9/24
guns	SB 273 Support	Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. more... Provides that no person shall sell a firearm unless at least five days have elapsed from the time the prospective purchaser completes the written consent form to have a licensed dealer obtain criminal history record information, with exceptions enumerated in relevant law.	Subramanyam (D)	Passed (51-Y 49-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 03/26/24	3/29/24
workers	SB 274 Support	Prescription Drug Affordability Board; established, drug cost affordability review, report. more... Establishes the Prescription Drug Affordability Board for the purpose of protecting the citizens of the Commonwealth and other stakeholders within the health care system from the high costs of prescription drug products. ...	Deeds (D)	Passed (50-Y 47-N)	Passed (23-Y 16-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 4/8/24	4/9/24
justice	SB 334 Support	Plea agreements; prohibited provisions. more... Prohibits plea agreements from containing any provision that purports to waive, release, or extinguish a defendant's (i) rights under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution of Virginia; (ii) right to file a petition requesting expungement of the police records and the court records; or (iii) right to have criminal history record information and court records sealed. ...	Salim (D)	Passed (51-Y 49-N)	Passed (21-Y-19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 03/20/24	3/22/24
justice	SB 357 Support	Assault and battery of a law-enforcement officer; penalty. more... Reduces the penalty for assault and battery of a law-enforcement officer from a Class 6 felony to a Class 1 misdemeanor and reduces the mandatory minimum term of confinement from six months to 10 days. The bill also specifies that a person must commit assault and battery that results in bodily injury to be guilty of the enhanced offense. ...	Boysko (D)	Passed (49-Y 48-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 3/27/24	4/3/24
workers	SB 373 Support	Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements, civil action. more... Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2027. ...	Boysko (D)	Passed (50-Y 46-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 04/05/24	4/8/24
workers	SB 393 Support	MEI Project Approval Commission; board-level gender and diversity requirements. more... Requires that the MEI Project Approval Commission considers, prior to recommending approval of any major employment and investment (MEI) project, (i) whether a business has and commits to maintaining a balanced board of directors based upon gender and racial diversity, such that at least 30 percent of such board of directors consists of women and historically underrepresented groups, and (ii) ...	Pekarsky (D)	Passed (51-Y 46-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 03/27/24	3/30/24
governance	SB 428 Support	Elections; any local or constitutional office may be conducted by ranked choice voting. more... Allows elections for any local or constitutional office to be conducted by ranked choice voting. Under current law, only elections of members of a county board of supervisors or a city council are allowed to be conducted by ranked choice voting. ...	VanValkenburg (D)	Passed w sub (54-Y 44-N)	Passed (21-Y 19-N)	Agreed	Vetoed 4/8/24	4/9/24
education	SB 586 Support	Public elementary and secondary schools; student discipline, restorative disciplinary practices. more... Prohibits, except in certain cases involving specific offenses enumerated in applicable law or in cases in which the division superintendent or his designee finds that aggravating circumstances, as defined by the Department, exist, any public elementary or secondary school student from being suspended, expelled, or excluded from attendance at school without first initiating at least one evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice such as community conferencing, community service, mentoring, a peer jury, peer mediation, positive behavioral interventions and supports, a restorative circle, or the Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports. ...	Pekarsky (D)	Passed w substitute (51-Y 47-N)	Passed House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 39-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 4/8/24	4/9/24
workers	SB 716 Support	Unprofessional conduct; disciplinary action against doctor for providing abortion care, etc. more... Prohibits the Board of Medicine from taking disciplinary action against a doctor based on the alleged provision or receipt of abortion care that is not prohibited under the laws of the Commonwealth, regardless of where such abortion care was provided or received. ...	Carroll Foy (D)	Passed (54-Y 45-N)	Passed (21-Y 18-N)	Enrolled	Vetoed 04/05/24	4/8/24

No. of bills: 27

General info

2024 Session dates

Jan 10: Session begins
Jan 19: Last day to introduce bills
Feb 13: Crossover*
Mar 7: Last day to act on remaining bills
Mar 9: Session adjourns
April 17-24: Reconvened session

House Meeting Schedule
Senate Meeting Schedule

Overriding a Veto

"The Governor may veto the bill if he objects to it by returning the bill with his objections to the house in which the bill originated. The house shall enter the objections in its journal and reconsider the bill. The house may override the veto by a two-thirds vote of the members present, which two-thirds shall include a majority of the members elected to that house. If the house of origin overrides the Governor's veto, it shall send the bill and Governor's objections to the other house where the bill shall be reconsidered. The second house may override the Governor's veto by a two-thirds vote of the members present, which two-thirds shall include a majority of the members elected to that house. If both houses override the Governor's veto, the bill shall become law without his signature. If either house fails to override the Governor's veto, the veto shall stand and the bill shall not become law." -Virginia Constitution

Constitutional Amendments

Amendments to the Virginia Constitution require that a resolution be passed by a majority of both houses during a session and then held over to be passed again by the next elected legislature, with an election intervening between the two approvals. If it succeeds the second time, voters must approve the change in a referendum before it can take effect.

Glossary

Dillon Rule. Restricts local government authority to enact ordinances.

Conference Committee. A temporary committee w. members from both the House and Senate, tasked with reconciling differences in legislation that passed both chambers.

Continued/Carried over. Action taken in an even-numbered year to postpone the consideration of a measure until the next regular session of the General Assembly.

Crossover. The last day for a bill to pass out of the chamber in which it was introduced and move forward for consideration in the opposite chamber. If a bill does not move forward, it is "Left" (dead).

Engrossed. A legislative stage when a bill passes the second reading in the House of origin. Every bill has to be "read" on the floor three times before voting on it. The action or any debate or discussion usually comes on the day of the second reading or the third reading.

Enrolled. Legislation which has passed both the House of Delegates and the Senate, signed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, sent to the Governor, but not yet signed.

Failed to report. Defeated. The rejection of a motion to 'report' a bill to the full chamber.

Incorporated. Rolled into someone another bill. Either because they're identical, or they have incorporated *some* of the language in, and the patron agreed to have her name on the other bill.

Patron. Bill sponsor. There can be many patrons.

PBI. Passed by Indefinitely. Action to allow a committee to reconsider legislation at a later meeting. If the committee takes no further action, the bill is dead. [Usually the bill is dead.]

Referred. The assignment of legislation to another standing committee with no stance on the policy of the measure (neither endorses nor rejects the legislation).

Reported. The approval of a measure by the majority of the committee. The legislation may be reported by the committee with or without amendments. A bill may also be reported and referred to another committee.

Stricken. Legislation removed from a committee's docket, frequently at the request of the patron.

More definitions from League of Women Voters Virginia
More definitions from University of Virginia