VirginiaBack-end, opt-out automatic voter registration; work group to study implementation.
What it does
Secretary of Administration; work group on automatic voter registration. Directs the Department of Elections to convene a work group for the purpose of studying the implementation of back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration (AVR) in the Commonwealth. The work group shall include representatives of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, and the Office of the Attorney General, in addition to members of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections, general registrars, and organizations advocating for or working on voting rights and data privacy.
More detail
The work group is tasked with considering the effectiveness, efficiency, and security of back-end, opt-out AVR as compared to Virginia's current front-end, opt-out process and identifying the costs and benefits of moving to such a system. The Secretary of Administration is required to submit a report of the work group's findings to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 319.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0590)Latest
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 590 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Apr 6Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658)
- Mar 31Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Minor
- Mar 31Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB658ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 16Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658)
- Mar 13Conference report agreed to by House (61-Y 33-N 0-A)Minor
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Adopt Conference Committee Report R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 13Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)Minor
- Mar 13Conference Report released
- Mar 12Senate acceded to request
- Vote recorded Concur House Substitute R. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded Accede Conference Committee R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 12House Conferees: Hernandez, Price, Cherry
- Mar 12Conferees appointed by House
- Mar 12Senate Conferees: Rouse, Srinivasan, Diggs
- Mar 12Conferees appointed by Senate
- Mar 12Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 12House requested conference committeeMinor
- Mar 12House insisted on substituteMajor
- Mar 12House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)
- Mar 12Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658)
- Mar 11Passed House with substitute (64-Y 35-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Mar 11committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Mar 11Read third timeMinor
- Mar 10Read second timeMinor
- Mar 6Committee substitute printed 26108948D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Rules with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 6Reported from Rules with substitute (12-Y 6-N)Minor
- Mar 2Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658)
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 2Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (4-Y 1-N)Major
- Mar 1Assigned HRUL sub: Studies SubcommitteeMinor
- Feb 19Referred to Committee on RulesMinor
- Feb 19Read first timeMinor
- Feb 19Placed on Calendar
- Feb 17Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658)
- Feb 13Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 12Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)Major
- Feb 12Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)Major
- Feb 12Read second timeMinor
- Feb 11Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Feb 11Rules suspended
- Feb 10Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 3Committee substitute printed 26107067D-S1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 3Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N)Minor
- Feb 3Senate committee offered
- Jan 14Referred to Committee on Privileges and ElectionsMinor
- Jan 14Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105126DIntroduced