Virginia House Bill 1854 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Completed Legislative Action
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: Passed on April 26 2017 - 100% progression
Action: 2017-04-26 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0829)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [HTML]

Lobbyist reporting, the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act, and the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act; filing of required disclosures; registration of lobbyists; candidate filings; judges; definition of gift; informal advice; civil penalties; technical amendments. Makes numerous changes to the laws governing lobbyist reporting, the conflict of interest acts, and the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council (the Council), including (i) allowing the Secretary of the Commonwealth to suspend any penalty that could be assessed against a lobbyist's principal for failing to file the required disclosure if such failure is beyond the control of the principal; (ii) clarifying the procedures for terminating the services of a lobbyist; (iii) requiring that lobbyist registration forms be filed electronically; (iv) eliminating the requirement that a lobbyist list the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all other lobbyists representing the same principal; (v) creating a separate statement for a lobbyist's principal to waive the principal signature requirement on the lobbyist disclosure form; (vi) granting the clerk of the local governing body or school board the same power as the Council to redact from any disclosure form released to the public any residential address, personal telephone number, or signature; (vii) eliminating the minimum duration of the mandatory refresher ethics orientation session for General Assembly members; (viii) allowing written informal advice from the Council to confer immunity from prosecution upon individuals acting in accordance with such advice; (ix) clarifying the Council's authority to grant extensions from the filing deadline and imposing a $250 civil penalty on agency heads or local clerks who fail to provide the disclosure forms to filers in a timely manner; (x) requiring lobbyists to provide a report of gifts made during a regular session of the General Assembly no later than three weeks after adjournment to legislators and certain executive branch officials who are required to file a session gift report; and (xi) directing that candidates for statewide office and the General Assembly are required to file a disclosure form with the State Board of Elections and candidates for a constitutional office are required to file a disclosure form with the local general registrar. The bill also extends the filing deadline for disclosure forms from January 15 to February 1 and clarifies the reporting period covered by the disclosure forms. The bill eliminates events open to individuals who share a common interest from the definition of a "widely attended event," attendance at which is not subject to the gift cap. The bill also exempts from the definition of a "gift" (a) gifts from a person's child-in-law; (b) gifts related to a person's volunteer service; (c) meals provided for attendance at an official meeting of the Commonwealth, its political subdivisions, or certain other entities; and (d) attendance at a reception or similar function. The bill also exempts members of the judiciary from certain provisions governing prohibited gifts and prohibited personal interests in a transaction where such members are already subject to similar or greater prohibitions under the Canons of Judicial Conduct for the State of Virginia. The bill also clarifies that a legislator may have a personal interest in a contract with a government agency, not including a legislative branch agency, when the Virginia Public Procurement Act allows the award of such contract without competition. The bill further clarifies the exceptions that allow state and local officers and employees who have a personal interest in a transaction to participate in the transaction. Finally, the bill contains technical amendments. The bill contains an emergency clause that applies to the changes described in clauses (x) and (xi). This bill is identical to SB 1312.

Conflicts of Interests Acts, State & Local Government & General Assembly, lobbyist; filing.

Del. Todd Gilbert [R]

2017-04-05 - House - House: VOTE: REJECTED EMERGENCY (36-Y 62-N) (Y: 36 N: 62 NV: 2 Abs: 0) [FAIL]
2017-02-24 - House - House: VOTE: ADOPTION EMERGENCY (94-Y 0-N) (Y: 94 N: 0 NV: 6 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2017-02-24 - Senate - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 1-N) (Y: 39 N: 1 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2017-02-20 - Senate - Senate: Senate insisted on substitute (40-Y 0-N) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2017-02-16 - House - House: VOTE: ADOPTION EMERGENCY (0-Y 97-N) (Y: 0 N: 97 NV: 3 Abs: 0) [FAIL]
2017-02-14 - Senate - Senate: Passed Senate with substitute (39-Y 1-N) (Y: 39 N: 1 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2017-02-13 - Senate - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (Y: 39 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2017-02-10 - Senate - Senate: Reported from Rules with substitute (14-Y 0-N) (Y: 14 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2017-02-07 - House - House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (97-Y 0-N) (Y: 97 N: 0 NV: 2 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2017-02-03 - House - House: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (19-Y 0-N) (Y: 19 N: 0 NV: 2 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2017-01-27 - House - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (9-Y 0-N) (Y: 9 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 0) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2017-04-26		Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0829)
2017-04-26		Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 829 (effective - see bill)
2017-04-05		Governor: Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, May 5, 2017
2017-04-05	House	Communicated to Governor
2017-04-05	House	VOTE: REJECTED EMERGENCY (36-Y 62-N)
2017-04-05	House	House rejected Governor's recommendation (36-Y 62-N)
2017-04-05	House	Placed on Calendar
2017-03-27	House	Governor's recommendation received by House
2017-03-13		Governor: Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, March 27, 2017
2017-03-13	House	Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on 3/13/17
2017-03-10	Senate	Signed by President
2017-03-07	House	Signed by Speaker
2017-03-07	House	Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1854ER)
2017-03-07	House	Enrolled
2017-02-24	House	VOTE: ADOPTION EMERGENCY (94-Y 0-N)
2017-02-24	House	Conference report agreed to by House (94-Y 0-N)
2017-02-24	Senate	Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 1-N)
2017-02-23		Conference: Amended by conference committee
2017-02-23	House	Delegates: Gilbert, Minchew, James
2017-02-23	House	Conferees appointed by House
2017-02-22	Senate	Senators: Norment, Howell, Saslaw
2017-02-22	Senate	Conferees appointed by Senate
2017-02-21	House	House acceded to request
2017-02-20	Senate	Senate requested conference committee
2017-02-20	Senate	Senate insisted on substitute (40-Y 0-N)
2017-02-16	House	VOTE: REJECTED EMERGENCY (0-Y 97-N)
2017-02-16	House	Senate substitute rejected by House 17105400D-S1 (0-Y 97-N)
2017-02-16	House	Placed on Calendar
2017-02-14	Senate	Passed Senate with substitute (39-Y 1-N)
2017-02-14	Senate	Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute HB1854S1
2017-02-14	Senate	Committee substitute agreed to 17105400D-S1
2017-02-14	Senate	Reading of substitute waived
2017-02-14	Senate	Read third time
2017-02-13	Senate	Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
2017-02-10	Senate	Committee substitute printed 17105400D-S1
2017-02-10	Senate	Reported from Rules with substitute (14-Y 0-N)
2017-02-08	Senate	Referred to Committee on Rules
2017-02-08	Senate	Constitutional reading dispensed
2017-02-07	House	VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (97-Y 0-N)
2017-02-07	House	Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (97-Y 0-N)
2017-02-06	House	Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB1854H1
2017-02-06	House	Committee substitute agreed to 17105218D-H1
2017-02-06	House	Read second time
2017-02-04	House	Read first time
2017-02-03	House	Committee substitute printed 17105218D-H1
2017-02-03	House	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (19-Y 0-N)
2017-02-01	House	Assigned Courts sub: Ethics
2017-01-27	House	Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (9-Y 0-N)
2017-01-17	House	Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2017-01-17	House	Referred from General Laws by voice vote
2017-01-10	House	Referred to Committee on General Laws
2017-01-10	House	Prefiled and ordered printed with emergency clause; offered 01/13/16 17102775D

Chapter	Article	Section	Citation Type	Statute Text
2	2	3101	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	3103.1	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	3110	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	3112	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	3114	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	3115	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	3118.2	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	3121	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	419	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	422	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	423	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	426	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	430	(n/a)	See Bill Text
2	2	431	(n/a)	See Bill Text
24	2	502	(n/a)	See Bill Text

Type	Source
Summary	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+sum+HB1854
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+ful+HB1854+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+ful+HB1854H1+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+ful+HB1854S1+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+ful+HB1854ER+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+ful+CHAP0829+hil
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+H0808V0003+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+H08V0132+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+HV1991+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+S10V0092+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+SV0494HB1854+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+SV0510HB1854+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+HV2415+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+SV0684HB1854+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+SV0983HB1854+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+HV2762+HB1854
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+vot+HV2878+HB1854