HB967Introduced in the House of Delegates
Voting Rights Act of Virginia; revises provisions.
Introduced by Marcia Price, District 85
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
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Official description
Elections; Voting Rights Act of Virginia. Revises provisions of the Voting Rights Act of Virginia (the Act) by (i) clarifying the legal standards for evaluating claims of alleged voter suppression and vote dilution, (ii) providing guidance to the courts to follow when determining whether a violation of the prohibition against voter suppression or vote dilution has occurred, and (iii) outlining the factors that the courts are permitted to consider and those factors that the courts are prohibited from considering. The bill expands the class of persons who may initiate a cause of action for an alleged violation of the Act to include organizations whose membership includes members of a protected class, organizations whose mission would be frustrated by a violation of the Act, and organizations that would expend resources in order to fulfill their mission as a result of a violation of the Act. The population thresholds for a locality to be designated as a covered locality for purposes of minority language accessibility pursuant to the Act are also amended. Current law designates a locality as a covered locality if, in the locality, (a) more than five percent of the voting age population or (b) more than 10,000 of the voting age population are members of a single language minority and are unable to speak or understand English adequately enough to participate in the electoral process; the bill reduces those thresholds from five to three percent and from 10,000 to 5,000. The bill contains technical amendments for organizational purposes.
Where it stands
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0717)
April 13, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
4 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
4 recorded votes · each counted separately
House of DelegatesStage: Senate amendments agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) · March 6, 2026
62
Yes
35
No
2
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
| Delegate | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Hope | 1 | Yes |
| Adele McClure | 2 | Yes |
| Alfonso Lopez | 3 | Yes |
| Charniele Herring | 4 | Yes |
| Kirk McPike | 5 | Yes |
| Richard Sullivan | 6 | Yes |
| Karen Keys-Gamarra | 7 | Yes |
| Irene Shin | 8 | Yes |
| Karrie Delaney | 9 | Yes |
| Dan Helmer | 10 | Yes |
Bill history
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101432D
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
Assigned HPE sub: Voting Rights
Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N)
Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 7-N)
Read first time
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB967)
Read second time and engrossed
Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
Senate committee offered
Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 7-N)
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
Rules suspended
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
Read third time
Committee amendments agreed to
Engrossed by Senate as amended
Passed Senate with amendments (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
Senate amendments agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB967ER)
Signed by Speaker
Signed by President
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB967)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 717 (effective 7/1/2026)
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0717)
Verify the information
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