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HB319Introduced in the House of Delegates

Back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration; work group to study implementation.

Passed

Introduced by Phil Hernandez, District 94

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

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. 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 SB 658.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0589)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

5 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

5 recorded votes · each counted separately

House of DelegatesStage: Conference report agreed to by House (61-Y 31-N 0-A) · March 13, 2026

61

Yes

31

No

7

Absent or Not Voting

99 delegates recorded in this House of Delegates vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each delegate voted

DelegateDistrictVote
Patrick Hope1Yes
Adele McClure2Yes
Alfonso Lopez3Yes
Charniele Herring4Yes
Kirk McPike5Yes
Richard Sullivan6Yes
Karen Keys-Gamarra7Yes
Irene Shin8Yes
Karrie Delaney9Yes
Dan Helmer10Absent

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101442D

  2. Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB319)

  4. Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration

  5. Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)

  6. Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 6-N)

  7. Read first time

  8. Read second time and engrossed

  9. Read third time and passed House (61-Y 35-N 0-A)

  10. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  11. Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

  12. Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (8-Y 7-N)

  13. Senate committee offered

  14. Senate committee offered

  15. Committee substitute printed 26108498D-S1

  16. Rules suspended

  17. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  18. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  19. Read third time

  20. Passed by for the day

  21. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB319)

  22. Privileges and Elections Substitute agreed to

  23. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

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

  25. Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 96-N 0-A)

  26. Senate insisted on amendments (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  27. Senate requested conference committee

  28. House acceded to request

  29. Conferees appointed by Senate

  30. Senate Conferees: Rouse, Deeds, Williams Graves

  31. Conferees appointed by House

  32. House Conferees: Hernandez, Price, Cherry

  33. Conference Report released

  34. Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 16-N 0-A)

  35. Conference report agreed to by House (61-Y 31-N 0-A)

  36. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB319)

  37. Enrolled

  38. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB319ER)

  39. Signed by President

  40. Signed by Speaker

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

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

  43. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB319)

  44. Approved by Governor-Chapter 589 (effective 7/1/2026)

  45. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0589)

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