SB 856 Virginia Senate · 2020 Regular Session

Elections, State Board of; increasing membership, staggering terms, role and eligibility, report.

Summary
State Board of Elections; increasing membership ; Commissioner of Elections; role and eligibility; report. Increases the membership of the State Board of Elections from three members to five members. Representation is given to each of the political parties having the highest and next highest number of votes in the Commonwealth at the preceding gubernatorial election, with three Board members being of the party of the Governor. Terms are initially staggered. The bill provides that a Commissioner of Elections, who acts as the principal administrative officer of the Department of Elections, shall be appointed by the Governor. Persons engaging in certain partisan activities, persons related to persons engaging in certain partisan activities, and persons related to members of the State Board are prohibited from serving as the Commissioner of Elections. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2021. This bill is identical to HB 236.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2020
Committee Review
Feb 2020
Senate Passage
Feb 2020
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2020
Signed into Law
Apr 2020
Introduced Jan 8, 2020 Signed Apr 2, 2020
Floor votes · Senate Feb 3, 2020 · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2020

How they voted

34–6
Passed
Total votes 40
Feb 3, 2020
D Democratic21
20 Yea 1 Nay
95% Yea
R Republican19
14 Yea 5 Nay
73% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
34
Key actions
9
Committee
11
Amendments
2
Apr 2, 2020
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 619 (effective 1/1/21)
executive
Mar 4, 2020
Lower · Passed
Passed House (91-Y 7-N)
lower
Feb 28, 2020
Lower · Passed
Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 25, 2020
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 24, 2020
Committee
Assigned App. sub: Compensation & General Government
lower
Feb 21, 2020
Committee
Referred to Committee on Appropriations
lower
Feb 21, 2020
Lower · Passed
Reported from Privileges and Elections (18-Y 2-N)
lower
Feb 17, 2020
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N)
lower
Feb 14, 2020
Committee
Assigned P & E sub: Constitutional Amendments
lower
Feb 13, 2020
Committee
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
lower
Feb 3, 2020
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (34-Y 6-N)
upper
Jan 31, 2020
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended SB856E
upper
Jan 31, 2020
Upper · Passed
Committee amendments agreed to
upper
Jan 31, 2020
Introduced
Reading of amendments waived
upper
Jan 28, 2020
Upper · Passed
Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendments (11-Y 2-N)
upper
Jan 8, 2020
Introduced
Introduced bill reprinted 20103597D
upper
Jan 8, 2020
Committee
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
upper
Jan 8, 2020
Introduced
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20103597D
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Adam Ebbin
Adam Ebbin
DDemocratic
VA
39