The People's Ledger
← All Virginia bills

HB286Introduced in the House of Delegates

Virginia National Guard; orders transmitted to and through Governor, annual reports.

Passed

Introduced by Dan Helmer, District 10

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.

Official description

Virginia National Guard; reports to the General Assembly; work group; report. Requires the Adjutant General to submit an annual report to the General Assembly detailing federal and state deployments of the Virginia National Guard and other matters relating to retention, readiness, funding, and resources. The bill prohibits the Governor from calling forth the Virginia National Guard for the purpose of intimidating, threatening, or coercing, or attempting to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, a person in giving his vote or ballot or to deter or prevent such person from voting. Finally, the bill directs the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs to convene a work group to assess (i) the most appropriate manner and process by which the Governor and members of the General Assembly should respond to deployments of the Virginia National Guard; (ii) the proper response to mobilizations of the National Guard of a another state in a state active duty status within the Commonwealth; and (iii) what safeguards, if any, are necessary to ensure that the Virginia National Guard cannot be called to duty to intimidate, harass, or threaten any person (a) in giving his vote or ballot or (b) to deter or prevent such person from voting. This bill is identical to SB 337.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1043)

April 22, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

5 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

7 recorded votes · each counted separately

SenateStage: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A) · April 22, 2026

21

Yes

18

No

1

Absent or Not Voting

40 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker5Yes
Michael Jones77Yes
Timmy French1No
Mark Obenshain2No
Chris Head3Absent
David Suetterlein4No
Travis Hackworth5No
Todd Pillion6No
William Stanley7No
Mark Peake8No

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104710D

  2. Referred to Committee on Public Safety

  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB286)

  4. Reported from Public Safety (15-Y 6-N)

  5. Read first time

  6. Read second time and engrossed

  7. Read third time and passed House (60-Y 36-N 0-A)

  8. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  9. Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

  10. Senate committee offered

  11. Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N)

  12. Committee substitute printed 26108165D-S1

  13. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB286)

  14. Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 4-N)

  15. Committee substitute printed 26109435D-S2

  16. Rules suspended

  17. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

  18. Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  19. Read third time

  20. Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)

  21. Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

  22. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  23. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB286)

  24. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  25. Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 98-N 0-A)

  26. Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  27. Senate requested conference committee

  28. House acceded to request

  29. Conferees appointed by House

  30. House Conferees: Helmer, Simon, Ballard

  31. Conferees appointed by Senate

  32. Senate Conferees: Perry, McPike, Reeves

  33. Senate insisted on substitute

  34. Conference Report released

  35. Conference Report released

  36. Conference Report released

  37. Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)

  38. Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

  39. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB286)

  40. Enrolled

  41. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB286ER)

  42. Signed by President

  43. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB286)

  44. Signed by Speaker

  45. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  46. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  47. Governor's recommendation received by House

  48. House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 36-N 0-A)

  49. Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

  50. Governor's recommendation adopted

  51. Reenrolled

  52. Reenrolled bill text (HB286ER2)

  53. Signed by Speaker

  54. Signed by President

  55. Approved by Governor-Chapter 1043 (effective 7/1/2026)

  56. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1043)

Verify the information

Our commitment to neutrality

We provide factual information only. We never tell you which politicians or bills to support, and we do not rank, score, or endorse anyone.