SB648Introduced in the Senate
Counties, cities, & towns; members of governing body, continuing personal interest in transactions.
Introduced by Russet Perry, District 31
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
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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 HB 505.
Where it stands
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1022)
April 22, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
4 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
7 recorded votes · each counted separately
House of DelegatesStage: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 32-N 0-A) · April 22, 2026
66
Yes
32
No
2
Absent or Not Voting
100 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 26105059D
Referred to Committee on Local Government
Reported from Local Government (9-Y 5-N)
Read first time
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Rules suspended
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Passed by for the day
Read second time
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
Read third time and passed Senate (30-Y 9-N 1-A)
Placed on Calendar
Read first time
Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (16-Y 5-N)
Committee substitute printed 26108337D-H1
Read second time
Read third time
committee substitute agreed to
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
Passed House with substitute (70-Y 26-N 0-A)
House substitute rejected by Senate
House insisted on substitute
House requested conference committee
Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Conferees appointed by Senate
Senate Conferees: Perry, Srinivasan, Diggs
Conferees appointed by House
House Conferees: McAuliff, Reid, Cherry
Conference Report released
Conference Report released
Conference Report released
Passed by for the day
Conference report agreed to by Senate (31-Y 6-N 0-A)
Conference report agreed to by House (66-Y 28-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB648ER)
Signed by President
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 Senate
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 32-N 0-A)
Governor's recommendation adopted
Reenrolled
Reenrolled bill text (SB648ER2)
Signed by Speaker
Signed by President
Approved by Governor-Chapter1022 (Effective 4/22/2026)
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1022)
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