HB505Introduced in the House of Delegates
Counties, cities, & towns; members of governing body, continuing personal interest in transactions.
Introduced by John Chilton McAuliff, District 30
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
Local government; certain towns; suspension of officers, study, remedial plan, and meeting requirements. Provides that any member of a governing body in any locality, who has been employed by any governmental agency that is a component part of and that is subject to the ultimate control of the governing body of which he is a member, is deemed to have continuing personal interest in that agency for a period of two years following the termination of such employment. The bill also requires the court, in a criminal proceeding against an officer of any town in Planning District 8 with a population between 8,000 and 10,000 alleging the commission of a felony offense, to enter an order suspending the officer pending the resolution of such proceeding and any related proceeding for the officer's removal. The bill requires any such town to also procure a study by a public institution of higher education to evaluate the condition and status of the town's debt, infrastructure, utilities, and other significant liability risks. Such town is required to adopt a plan consistent with the study to address such town's needs, as identified in the study, in a fiscally appropriate manner that does not jeopardize the town's bond rating. The bill also prohibits the town council of any such town from voting on matters that have not been properly published at least three days prior to the vote as part of a town council agenda or otherwise approved as additional agenda items or as amendments to existing agenda items by a three-fourths vote of all the members of the council at the start of the meeting. The bill requires that any full-time town manager of such town must be a resident of the Commonwealth unless the town council has waived such requirement by a majority vote. This bill is identical to SB 648 and contains an emergency clause.
Where it stands
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1056)
April 22, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
6 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
6 recorded votes · each counted separately
SenateStage: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (19-Y 19-N 0-A) · April 22, 2026
19
Yes
19
No
2
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
| Senator | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Bennett-Parker | 5 | Yes |
| Michael Jones | 77 | Yes |
| Timmy French | 1 | No |
| Mark Obenshain | 2 | No |
| Chris Head | 3 | Absent |
| David Suetterlein | 4 | No |
| Travis Hackworth | 5 | No |
| Todd Pillion | 6 | No |
| William Stanley | 7 | No |
| Mark Peake | 8 | No |
Bill history
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103307D
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration
House subcommittee offered
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N)
House committee offered
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (13-Y 8-N)
Committee substitute printed 26107972D-H1
Read first time
Read second time
committee substitute agreed to
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (11-Y 4-N)
Senate committee offered
Committee substitute printed 26108616D-S1
Rules suspended
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Read third time
Passed by for the day
Privileges and Elections Substitute agreed to
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
Passed Senate with substitute (23-Y 17-N 0-A)
Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 94-N 0-A)
Senate insisted on amendments (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Senate requested conference committee
House acceded to request
Conferees appointed by House
House Conferees: McAuliff, Reid, Cherry
Conferees appointed by Senate
Senate Conferees: Rouse, Perry, Bennett-Parker
Conference Report released
Conference report agreed to by House (69-Y 29-N 0-A)
Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Enrolled
Signed by Speaker
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Governor's recommendation received by House
House concurred in Governor's recommendation (69-Y 31-N 0-A)
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (19-Y 19-N 0-A)
Governor's recommendation adopted
Reenrolled
Reenrolled bill text (HB505ER2)
Signed by Speaker
Signed by President
Approved by Governor-Chapter 1056 (effective 4/22/2026)
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1056)
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.